Yesterday, on Nov. 5, 2007, the mummified body of the 19 year old boy King Tut was unwrapped exactly 85 years after being discovered by Howard Carter in 1922.
Photographs reveal the tar-black faced skeletal remains of the once Egyptian King. His mouth is stacked full of crusty decayed teeth that point upward giving the impression that he had a pronounced overbite. The entire body looks like has been torched.
The body of the King, was removed from its original resting place to a new coffin in the high tech climate-controlled antechamber of his small underground tomb in the Valley of the Kings.
The purpose of the move accordingly to Egyptian officials was to help preserve the mummy, which has been suffering poor condition since it was first discovered.
Wrapped in many layers of linen and resin, Tutankhamun's body was nearly destroyed by Carter and his team, when sharp tools were used to remove his gleaming gold-and-blue death mask. Sources have also indicated that further damage has been caused by the body heat of the huge number of tourists who enter the tomb each year.
I have always been fascinated by Egyptian history and heritage. Part of the reason is naturally due to the riches and majesty that dominates its history and also because of its location in my ancestral land of Africa.
The country of Egypt sits at the northeastern tip of the Great Continent of Africa. It borders Libya and Chad to the west and Sudan to the south. The country boasts some of the greatest riches in the world.
Although, I have not yet traveled to Egypt, I have had the opportunity to view many Egyptian artifacts over the years in both New York at the Metropolitan Museum of Art which houses a large collection and also at the Louvre in Paris where the collection is even more massive than their New York counterparts. I was just enchanted with the awesome display of beauty and attention to detail in their clothing, art, sculptures and architecture.
Well, Tut, only God can say whether your soul lives on for an eternity but your mortal remains and memories have lived on centuries upon centuries. I guess the responsibility for that goes to the many hands and hearts that took the time and love to try to memorialize, preserve you and make your journey to the afterlife a pleasant one.
I can't say how you feel about being "upwrapped" but from one human being to another I hope that you are resting in peace and are in the presence of the King of All Kings, God Almighty!
Because you know now, Tut what the rest of us know only by faith:
Psalm 100:5
For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
Psalm 135:13
Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations.
Psalm 145:13
Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.
No comments:
Post a Comment