Thursday, 17 September 2015

Topic Homework 17th September

Next week we will be looking at the discovery of 
Tutankhamun’s Tomb. Watch this video clip.


What are the Egyptian authorities planning to do? Why? Do you agree (or disagree)?


20 comments:

  1. Tutankhamun Tomb Preservation
    By Siddharth Sridhar
    Tutankhamun, the most famed pharaoh died in c.1323. His remains were stored in the exotic valley of kings, a daring place where scorching temperatures rise up to a bewildering 50 degrees Celsius! However in 1924, Howard Carter, who was believed to be searching here in the middle of the gold rush for 5 years, struck lucky. He climbed down a series of stairs himself and there it was, the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun.
    It has been a main allure for tourism, despite the weather. This was the same for nine decades – until now. The priceless but arty murals have slowly deteriorated. The tomb has started to show signs of dilapidation. This was all because of one cause – human breath.
    It has seemed that the human breath emits out the same body temperature as the human. This condition from tourists increases the room temperature. This problem contracts the wall murals and tomb, expanding it. The caretakers are planning something to help.
    They first are planning to use sensors to determine the microclimate of the tomb, carbodioxide levels, humidity, and count of people sightseeing the tomb. The data is reported back to the Getty conservation unit in the USA, California.
    The team will examine and find out why this problem is occurring and how to solve it.
    Finally, they put their plans into action, making the famed artefact survive for a few more years without rotting down and forming cracks. This is because Tutankhamun’s tomb has been found totally complete. It was never harmed ever since it’s discovery in 1924. The gold just stayed the same.
    I think that the tomb really needs to be preserved. This is because in a few decades time, the next generation will be looking forward to seeing this momentous artefact. I appreciate the Egyptian authorities for their hard work on trying to find a solution for this problem.

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  2. Some very good points Siddharth. What do you think they can do to actually preserve the tomb?

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    1. Below are few ways how the authorities have managed to protect the tomb. Firstly, they prevented tourists from coming too close to the antechamber by moving the existing platform further away from the tomb, preventing the visitors from creating further dilapidation of the murals. This helped the murals withstand, away from humans and their breath. Secondly, they covered the tomb, so that the dust didn’t approach it. The dust was accumulated by the sand in the Valley of Kings and also by the sand brought in by visitors to the tomb.
      They have managed to scan the actual tomb to form a replica of it. They took the most detailed and talented of artists to work on this project. Also, they used the help of an institute in Oxford to work out the missing pieces of the tomb by using their photos and scans. They also used a Flash navigator to imitate the murals and photographic design. This facsimile was made to encourage more visitors to see it instead of the real antechamber.

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  3. The Egyptian authorities are trying to stop the Tomb of tutekhamun getting in very worse conditions. The problem it's getting worse is just human breath.I think they will close the tomb after a few years as the tomb may break .Because I think they will do this to stop the tomb breaking down.

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  4. The Egyptian authorities have made a copy of Tutankhamun’s tomb and are planning to stop tourists from visiting the real one. This is because human breath is spoiling the tomb and all the paint is peeling off the walls. I am not happy about this because I would like to go and see the actual tomb but I understand why they think that they have to do it. It would be sad if the tomb were spoilt forever. Esme

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  5. The Egyptian authorities have made a copy of Tutankhamun’s tomb and are planning to stop tourists from visiting the real one. This is because human breath is spoiling the tomb and all the paint is peeling off the walls. I am not happy about this because I would like to go and see the actual tomb but I understand why they think that they have to do it. It would be sad if the tomb were spoilt forever.Esme

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  6. Early life
    Tutankhamun was born circa 1341 B.C.E. and given the name Tutankhaten, meaning "the living image of Aten." At this time, ancient Egypt was going through great social and political upheaval. Tutankhaten's father had forbidden the worship of many gods in favor of worshiping one, Aten, the sun disk. For this, he is known as the "heretic king." Historians differ on how extensive the change from polytheism to monotheism was, or whether Akhenaten was only attempting to elevate Aten above the other gods. It does seem, however, that his intent was to reduce the power of the priests and shift the traditional temple-based economy to a new regime run by local government administrators and military commanders.


    As the populace was forced to honor Aten, the religious conversion threw the society into chaos. The capital was changed from Thebes to Armana, and Akhenaten put all of his efforts into the religious transition, neglecting domestic and foreign affairs. As the power struggle between old and new intensified, Akhenaten became more autocratic and his regime more corrupt. Following a 17-year reign, he was gone, probably forced to abdicate, and died soon after. His 9-year-old son, Tutankhaten, took over around 1332 B.C.E.

    What King Tut discovered


    Much of what is known about Tutankhamun, better known today as King Tut, derives from the discovery of his tomb in 1922. British archaeologist Howard Carter had begun excavating in Egypt in 1891, and after World War I he began an intensive search for Tutankhamun's tomb in the Valley of the Kings. On November 26, 1922, Carter and fellow archaeologist George Herbert, the Earl of Carnarvon, entered the interior chambers of the tomb. To their amazement, they found much of its contents and structure miraculously intact. Inside one of the chambers, murals were painted on the walls that told the story of Tutankhamun's funeral and his journey to the afterworld. Also in the room were various artifacts for his journey—oils, perfumes, toys from his childhood, precious jewelry and statues of gold and ebony.


    The most fascinating item found was the stone sarcophagus containing three coffins, one inside the other, with a final coffin made of gold. When the lid of the third coffin was raised, King Tut's royal mummy was revealed, preserved for more than 3,000 years. As archaeologists examined the mummy, they found other artifacts, including bracelets, rings and collars. Over the next 17 years, Carter and his associates carefully excavated the four-room tomb, uncovering an incredible collection of thousands of priceless objects. Pavan















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  7. The Problem of Tutankhamen's Tomb

    King Tutankhamen was the boy king, his reign possibly being one of the shortest ones in history. He died when he was in his late teens, and archeologists have not yet determined the cause. He died unexpectedly, so his funeral was arranged hastily - this is why his tomb in not as comparable as others. But it was one of few that had not been robbed before, and that's what made the discovery so special.

    Over 3000 years, his coffin stayed as pristine as it was before, but in just nine decades, tourism has been destroying the spectacular tomb. The cause of this, was simply human breath. People have entered and exited, not once thinking how something so natural could ruin a priceless place. Since the opening of the tomb, conditions in the grave have automatically cascaded down.

    The Egyptian authorities are trying desperately to preserve the mummy carefully from CO2. The presence of visitors on a daily basis change the temperature and humidity inside the tomb meaning that the walls are expanding and contracting constantly. The walls are clearly disintegrating and cracks are also beginning to show.

    In my opinion, the Egyptian authorities should close down the burial chamber since it is being destroyed. If people do carry on doing this, then in the future we won't be able to look at it because there will be nothing to look at. Maybe once or twice every year they can open it again for us to see. They could install cameras to ensure the tomb is in good condition without going in and ruining it even more.

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  8. In 1922 Howard Carter discovered tutankhamuns tomb ,He spent five years trying to find it. archaeologist has found out that human breath was very affective to Tutankhamun tomb and pictures around it .
    Tutankhamun tomb was really just full of gold and jewerly . Only his tomb was found full all of the other tomb are all emptie because they have been robbed by robbers.

    so many people has visited the Cairo museum and saw the stuff about king tut .sadly tutankhamun died when he was 19 he was a well known pharoe.so i think they should lock the tomb in a glass box to keep it safe.

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    Replies
    1. WWW: Good facts and I agree.

      EBI: Next time remember to us your capital letters.

      P.S:- WWW= What Went Well. EBI: Even Better If.

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  9. Given the peace and quiet Tutankhamun enjoyed for three millennia, it has been a rough 93 years for him since he was discovered by Howard Carter in 1922. He was immediately relieved of his treasures; his tomb became one of the world's best-known tourist attractions, and finally, in 2005, his mummified corpse was hoiked out of its final resting-place to be studied by scientists.
    The ‘boy king's’ fame did not just cost him his privacy. His underground tomb, in Egypt's Valley of the Kings, is now suffering from the wear and tear caused by tens of thousands of sweaty visitors, who each year make a pilgrimage to the underground chamber where he once lay sheathed in the solid gold death-mask, that has become his trademark.
    Strange brown spots on the walls of Tutankhamun's burial chamber, apparently mould, which were already there at the time of the discovery, have worsened drastically. Its elaborate murals, which tell the story of his journey into the after-life, are now covered in dust and have begun to peel in places. The king's wooden coffin is losing flakes of gilded paint and may also be in the early stages of decay.
    In an effort to stop the rot, Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) has been working with a team of scientists and Egyptologists from the Getty Conservation Institute in California in an attempt to preserve this great archaeological wonder of the world.
    According to the researchers, the amount of visitors affects humidity inside, and at higher levels of humidity fungi activity also increases. Another problem was dust (coming from the visitors’ skin, hair and lint) but as vacuuming the tomb could damage it, so it had never been properly cleaned.

    The project was divided into three phases. During the first phase (2009–2011), the GCI (Getty Conservation Institute) team carried out background research and assessment, the preparation of an accurate record of the condition of the tomb and its wall paintings, the scientific analysis of materials and techniques of the paintings, study of environmental conditions, and conclusion of the causes of their deterioration. The results of this research have determined conservation needs; the problem is the visitors themselves. For an Egyptian tomb, it is an extremely small space, about 100m2. Every visitor emits about 100ml water vapour in an hour, producing as much heat as a 100-watt bulb.
    The second and third phases (2012–2014) occurred simultaneously over a three-year period. The second phase focused on testing, evaluation and implementation of appropriate interventions for the tomb and its wall paintings and development of a long-term condition monitoring plan. The tomb infrastructure (walkways, protective barriers, ventilation, lighting, and signage) has also been updated and improved during this phase along with recommendations for limiting visitor numbers.
    In the ongoing third phase, results of the project will be evaluated and disseminated to both professional and public audiences through print, visual, and web-based media. The planned dissemination aims to promote good conservation and management practice in Egypt, enhance SCA staff professional capabilities, and advance the general public’s understanding of conservation practices.
    Also last year, the replica of Tutankhamun’s tomb has been built a mile away from the original one in Luxor, which is a first step to rethink of managing tourism at ancient sites. The £ 420,000 facsimile is the most detailed copy ever made and restorers believe it will be a similar experience as the original one to divert visitors and ultimately preserve it, and can also be the beginning of sustainable tourism.
    I strongly agree with these elaborate measures as they are the only hopes of protecting this great heritage from irreparable damage, and ensuring that the tomb, along with its priceless antiquities, continues to live on as an attraction for generations to come.

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  10. King Tutankhamun tomb is such a interesting place because all his gold and belonging are still safe and preserved. However some people think that the tomb shouldn't be open to public because thousands of people visit this place; you never know these people might be sweaty. But the main problem here is surprisingly human breath. However they are recreating king Tutankhamun tomb. This is a really sad thing to here but its for the best.

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  11. The Egyptian authorities are proposing to close the tomb of Tutankhamen. The reason for this is is because thousands of people visit the tomb every day, their breath changes the temperature in the tomb causing the concrete to get damaged. I agree the tomb is precious and cannot be damaged, why don't they put glass over the fence part so their breath doesn't go on the tomb? This would allow everybody to enjoy seeing the tomb without damaging it.

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  12. I think that the Egyptian authorities are planning to shut the tomb down to the public. This is because decades of people’s breath has affected the walls and paintings. I agree that they have to take immediate action because if they don’t take action now the only intact 3000 year old tomb will be destroyed. They could make an exact replica of the tomb for people to visit and then the original tomb would be preserved for ever.

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  13. The tomb of Tutankhamun was buried in the valley of the kings. Egyptian authorities believe that the tomb itself is rotting away. This is because human breath is making it rot. So I think they should make sure that people do not come close to the tomb. Tutankhamun's tomb was found by Howard Carter in 1922. Before then Tutankhamun rested in peace. But today his tomb is starting to rot.

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  14. According to the researchers, the amound of visitors affects humidity inside,and at higher levels of humidity fungi activity also increases. Every visitor emits about 100ml. water vapour in an hour producing as much heat a 100-watt bulb.The Egyptian authorities are proposing to close thetomb of Tutankhamen.

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  15. The Egyptian authorities are anticipating the closure of Tutankhamun's tomb in the Valley of the Kings, Luxor, Egypt. In my opinion, they should shut down the tomb to the public as they will then be in a position to repair the damage caused by human's exhaling carbon dioxide. The authorities are hoping that tourists will go to the replica located just a mile away from the authentic piece.

    Tourists are dissatisfied that they can not see the real tomb, nevertheless the replica will give them the same experience. People still feel it is not equivalent to the real one. I think once they have taken steps to improve the burial site, authorities should consider placing a glass cabinet over the tomb and walls in order to defend it from human breath.

    Future generations will be able to appreciate the beauty of the boy king's tomb and will be thankful that such a compelling masterpiece of history has been preserved.

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  16. The Egyptian Authorities are planning to stop people coming in and seeing the tomb because human breath is destroying the tomb. I agree but I think researchers should still be allowed in so that a better understanding of King Tut and Ancient Egypt can be found.

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  17. Tutankhamun's tomb was found in the valley of kings by Howard Carter. The tomb was found more than 9 decades. 1000 people come to see the tomb every single day so the humidity gets very very hot because of human breath.the walls are starting to crack and they are expanding and contracting. So they say that the old tomb might collapse. The temperature in the valley of kings gets above 50 degrees hot. Thus Egyptian authorities are planning to close down the Pharaoh Tutankhamun's tomb because of problems mentioned above.

    To my survey - the tomb is taken care in 3 stages :

    stage 1 : The management firstly mesasure the microclimate,air temperature, humidity, carbondioxide
    and the number of visitors.
    stage 2 : They plan the stratergies according to the stage one and manage these factors and their effects.
    stage 3 : Continuing to monitor the microclimate and the effectiveness of the visitor-management strategies. The caretakers of the tomb will also continue
    to study ways to preserve the tomb and the murals for the future

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  18. The tomb of the Egyptian king Tuthankamun was buried in the vally of kings. It would still stay where it was and lay undiscovered if it wasn't for Howard Carter. The tomb is so well known for it was the only tomb found not robbed.

    The Egyptian authorites are thinking they might have to permanently stop people from coming to this tomb. There is a simple reson that is ... Human Breath{CO2.} Because of us humans the walls can't breath and can totally collapse.

    I agree with the Egyptian authorites because King Tut's Tomb is the only tomb that hasn't been robbed. Even though I agree, I think that they should put camera's in it so that they can see what is going on.

    P.S.:- If they do shut it down, I think they should open it once... when I want to visit!!!

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