The golden throne of Tutankhamen

<!--<!--

The chair in ancient Egypt as in many eastern countries was considered the symbol of authority and prestige. Six chairs were buried with Tutankhamen in his tomb scattered throughout the antechamber and the annex.

The most spectacular chair from the collection and one of the most magnificent pieces of furniture is the golden throne.

It was discovered covered by a length of folded black linen beneath the hippopotamus funerary couch in the antechamber. A possible reason for this is the depiction of the Aten sun disk in the middle of the scene emphasizing its importance yet this was during a time of revolution against the Aten creed.

Description:

It is made out of wood covered with gold sheet and silver sheet (silver was one of the most precious metals in ancient Egypt it was even regarded more precious than gold because of its rarity). It is inlaid with semi precious stone and colored glass. The scene is dominated y a main feature of Amarna period which is the Aten. This provides an assumption that this throne might have been one of the earliest examples produced under Tutankhamen’s reign. The rays of the sun disk end as usual with the human hands giving life to the nostrils of the royal couple.

The reason to prove that this throne was probably constructed in the Amarna period:

<!--Th Aten disk in the middle

<!--The names of the king are mostly represented in the earlier form Tutankhaten and his wife Ankhesenpaten except for the inner left arm of the throne and at the top left of the central scene near the head of the king.

The arms of the throne take the form of two winged serpents wearing the double crown which guard the cartouches of the king. At the back of each serpent there is another cobra or serpent but wearing either the white crown or the red crown on either sides (unification of the two lands).

Two protective lion heads top the front of the legs, all four legs terminate in lion’s paws inlaid with lapis lazuli claws. The two lion heads form an important feature in ancient Egyptian art because they represent the protection of the rising sun (aker theory). The eyes of the lions are inlaid with semi precious stones. An open work decoration of the smA tAwy sign once connected the legs together but now it is broken. The sign represents the trachea and lungs of the king with papyrus and lotus plants tied around it which means that the people of Egypt catch their breath of life through the lungs of the king.

The focus of the seat is its back which bears an exquisite scene showing the king and his wife affectionately facing each other. The king is seated comfortably on a cushioned throne; he wears an elaborate wig surmounted by a composite crown, a broad collar and a long pleated kilt with openwork central tab and a sash falling to his side. His feet rest on the soft cushion of a foot stool. The queen is standing in front of him lovingly placing one hand on his shoulder while in the other hand she holds a jar of unguent from which she is about to massage him with this perfume. She is wearing a headdress consisting of a uraeus diadem which is surmounted by the sun disk, two feathers and two cow horns. Around her neck is a broad collar which covers her shoulders and part of her long pleated robe. The inlaid elements include blue glass for the wigs and reddish brown for the bodies. The costumes are ornamented with silver and the jewelry is made of semi precious stones. Behind the queen there is an unusual feature showing a tall table surmounted by a collar.

Signs of love and affection between the royal couple:

<!--The queen is lovingly touching the shoulder and the scene is surrounded by lots of flowers and fruit, which symbolize love.

<!--We can see that the king is wearing one pair of the sandals while the queen is wearing the other pair maybe they are complementing each other.

<!--Other weak theories believe that this is kind of engagement ritual. A more logic explanation says that the sandals were detached sometime while moving the throne.

There are other modifications that were noted in the central scene:

<!--The headdress of the royal couple in their final forms is cutting through the sunrays of the Aten disk.

<!--The queen’s wig appears to have been reduced in size leaving the pleated ribbons hanging unattached.

<!--At the back of the throne there are four serpents with sun disks above their heads

<!--The names and titles of the king and queen are in their earlier forms   

The footstool

It is constructed of heavy wood covered with a layer of gesso and gilded. It is inlaid with colored glass and blue faience. The top surface represents three Nubians and three Asiatics in addition to six bows representing the nine bows or the nine traditional enemies of Egypt. Thus the chieftains of all foreign lands are subjugated under the king’s feet. The ancient Egyptian artist represent only six of the nine traditional enemies because initially the traditional enemies of Egypt were three; the Nubians, the Libyans and the Asiatics so sometimes they represented a multiple of the number three which is either six or nine. It is also maybe because the number of traditional enemies differed in different periods of time.

At the front of the foot stool there is a representation of the rkhyt birds represented with tied wings behind their backs resting on the nbw sign and accompanied by the star sign which is read dw3 which means adore. The whole scene means that all the people of Egypt adore the king.

At the back of the throne near the four serpents there are three vertical lines in inscription:  

<!--<!--

In the middle:

<!--<!--