20/11/2023
Cartouche Shaped Box of Tutankhamun
New Kingdom, late 18th Dynasty, ca. 1332-1323 BC.
Grand Egyptian Museum, GEM 242
Photo: Kenneth Garrett
The cartouche shaped box carries the name of Tutankhamun, executed in the most handsome hieroglyphs, made up of ebony and stained ivory. Less grand, but still elegantly formed, hieroglyphs are used for the many texts which are incised and filled with blue paint on the upper rim of the lid, surrounding the cartouche, and in three bands on the body of the box.
Upon discovery, the box contained many items including two crooks and two flails. It is considered a significant archaeological find and provides insights into the art and culture of ancient Egypt during Tutankhamun’s reign.
In ancient Egypt, a cartouche was a distinctive oval shape with a horizontal line at one end, used to enclose the names of kings and other important individuals. It served as a royal nameplate or a protective amulet, symbolizing the eternal and divine nature of the person whose name was inscribed within it.
Read more: https://egypt-museum.com/cartouche-shaped-box-of-tutankhamun/
