Beard on King Tut's burial mask damaged after epoxy gluing

AP ^ | January 22, 2014 | Staff

[C19fan]

The blue and gold braided beard on the burial mask of famed pharaoh Tutankhamun was hastily glued back on with epoxy, damaging the relic after it was knocked during cleaning, conservators at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo said Wednesday.

The museum is one of the city's main tourist sites, but in some areas, ancient wooden sarcophagi lay unprotected from the public, while pharaonic burial shrouds, mounted on walls, crumble from behind open panels of glass. Tutankhamun's mask, over 3,300 years old, and other contents of his tomb are its top exhibits.

Three of the museum's conservators reached by telephone gave differing accounts of when the incident occurred last year, and whether the beard was knocked off by accident while the mask's case was being cleaned, or was removed because it was loose.

[C19fan]

From what I understand the Egyptian Museum is the worst major museum in the world in how they store, protect, and preserve some of the most valuable antiquities in the world. They would be better off outsourcing the operations to some Western Museum.

[Starboard]

At least they didn’t use duct tape.

[shove_it]

Who knew ‘LocTite’ was available in antiquity.

[Sacajaweau]

Sounds like a good Columbo episode....cuz you know someone is lying....

and the truth is....they got caught trying to steal....nevermind.

Don't want to give too much away.

[golux]

They should've had Kenny Bunk on the job.

The repair would not be noticeable and King Tut would now be useful for future generations as a hand-hold, stanchion, or replacement tiller.

[GreenHornet]

Sounds like a good Columbo episode....cuz you know someone is lying.... and the truth is....they got caught trying to steal....nevermind.

"Just one more thing, professor....who else besides the three conservators knew that the mask had been damaged?....hey, will you look at that vase over there? Gosh, that's beautiful...my wife would love to have something like this."

[Sacajaweau]

Episode 22 Season 858...."The Gold Earing"

What can I say...I just loved Columbo. Can you tell?

[Kenny Bunk]

Thanks for the recommendation, Golux.

However, when the Gippo Museum called, I and Les Frères Gougeon were busy repairing the Pietá with West System Epoxy Filler and microballoons. I recommended Michelle Robinson Obama for the Tut job. She knows a lot about beards.

Philadelphia and the Liberty Bell next! We're like booked, Dude.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

[PghBaldy]

I am surprised no one posted the before and after pics of the painting that old woman ruined...

[Sacajaweau]

That was a beauty!!

[Flick Lives]

Another museum conservator, who was present at the time of the repair, said that epoxy had dried on the face of the boy king's mask and that a colleague used a spatula to remove it, leaving scratches. The first conservator, who inspects the artifact regularly, confirmed the scratches and said it was clear that they had been made by a tool used to scrape off the epoxy.

Amateur hour at the Egyptian Museum!

[TexasRepublic]

There’s nothing worthwhile that Bondo or bailing wire can’t fix.

[4yearlurker]

I'm glad college educated professionals with the proper tools were doing the repairs! Well done!

[Tijeras_Slim]

They had a picture of the head curator at the link.

[pepsi_junkie]

"Wow, this is the beard of King Tut! You can't even put a dollar number on it, it's absolutely priceless! Wait, is that a spot of glue? Worthless junk!"

[bgill]

Should have used bubble gum.

[Kenny Bunk]

During my tragically misdirected youth (all I can seem to remember is that the President was named "Herb" Something) I met a fellow in a Maine boatyard who filled a tooth cavity (his own) with Marine-Tex. Seemed to work OK. Good color match, too.

BTW, Tex, it is not widely known, but most of the antiquities in the care of the Gippo Museum are already Bondo.

[steve86]

I’ve used quick-setting epoxy on a Friday night. Why do broken teeth always happen on a weekend?

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks C19fan.