Tutankhamun and the Age of Appropriation: Missing Skullcap of the Last Sun King–Part II
The oft-repeated phrase “the Amarna era is shrouded in mystery” could be a thing of the past if only closer scrutiny of key artifacts from Tutankhamun’s tomb are permitted by the authorities concerned. Courtesy reuse and usurpation, the cleverly disguised inscriptions can yield a wealth of information on the political and religious upheaval of that period, and enable us to peer through the mists of time to gain accurate insights into one of Egypt’s most puzzling epochs. Among the plethora of KV62 mysteries, a modern one exists in the form of Tutankhamun’s missing skullcap.
Brilliantly painted Talatat blocks reveal a glimpse of the splendor of Amarna art. (Top) In his role as High Priest, Akhenaten makes offerings of food and worships the Aten. In the scene below, the pharaoh revels in the rays of the sun as he venerates the solar disc. Luxor Museum. (Photos: Petra Lether)
