The Gold Mask of Tutankhamen

Development of masks:

<!--In the Archaic period and Old Kingdom the boy was wrapped so as to display the facial features and the separate limbs of the deceased often modeled in a layer of plaster spread over the bandages

<!--The first appearance of masks was in the Old Kingdom. They were made out of cartonnage which is a layer of papyrus or linen covered with plaster then painted

<!--Appearance of anthropoid coffins in later Middle Kingdom in the 17th dynasty somehow replaced the use of the masks because the coffin itself has the facial features of the deceased already represented but masks were sometimes still used inside the anthropoid coffins

<!--By the New Kingdom masks were back in fashion as evident from the magnificent mask of Tutankhamen. In the second half of the 18th dynasty cartonnage masks extended to cover the area below the chest. From the 19th to the 22nd dynasties full length cartonnage masks or better known as cages or covers appeared. These extensions were sometimes referred to as mummy boards.

<!--By the Saite Period and the 26th dynasty the main adornment of the mummy was in the form of bead netting over the mummy shrouds to which a small mask of cartonnage, wood of beads was often added

<!--In the middle of the Ptolemaic period ordinary masks reappeared and continued to be used into the Roman period in addition to the famous mummy portraits  

Importance of masks:

The main importance of using masks was to protect the head of the mummy from being damaged and to preserve the facial features of the deceased to ensure successful resurrection in the afterlife

The Mask of Tutankhamen

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It was placed directly on the head of the mummy together with either decorations or trappings such as a golden vertical line of inscriptions and four horizontal ones and the golden figure of the Ba bird which was placed on the chest of the mummy with a big scarab amulet inscribed on the other side with chapter 30B of the Book of the Dead in order to protect the heart of the deceased

<!--The mask itself is made out of pure gold and weighs about 11kg representing the facial features of the king. He is wearing the nms headdress which is striped blue and gold as a sign of association with god Re who was believed to be made out of gold and his hair out of Lapis Lazuli

<!--The king is represented with a broad collar inlaid with semi precious stone like lapis lazuli and carnelian and turquoise and on either sides of the broad collar there is a representation of the falcon god Horus

<!--Upon his forehead the cobra goddess and the vulture goddess are beautifully represented; executed in solid gold and inlaid with precious and semi precious stones

<!--The facial features of the king show his youth and display vividness of details. He has a serene faraway look confirming his royalty or according to some scholars indicating his confidence that he will gain victory upon death. The earlobes are pierced showing the effect of Amarna art. There is also a turned up false beard made out of lapis lazuli as a sign of identification with god Re

<!--At the back of the mask the hieroglyphic inscription represent spell no 151B of the Book of the Dead. This spell identifies each specific part of the face with certain deity or religious figure in order to guarantee the ultimate protection as follow:

Regarding No. 4 and 5 the explanation in that they provide a kind of protection because the journey of god Re inside the boats was a very important religious symbol for the deceased