ehh246 t1_j5a8l0u wrote on January 21, 2023 at 3:04 PM

Why did Tutankhamun’s treasures like the iconic gold mask end up staying in an Egyptian museum (aside from the world tours, of course) instead of ending up in a British museum? The exhibition was led by Howard Carter, an Englishman.

I’m just saying it’s not often a country like Egypt gets to keep its cultural heritage, at least back then.

Bentresh t1_j5adxjn wrote on January 21, 2023 at 3:43 PM

Intact tombs were an exception to the usual system of partage in which finds were divided between Egypt and the institutions sponsoring excavations. To quote Carnarvon’s permit,

>Mummies of the Kings, of Princes, and of High Priests, together with their coffins and sarcophagi, shall remain the property of the Antiquities Service.

>Tombs which are discovered intact, together with all objects they may contain, shall be handed over to the Museum whole and without division.

phillipgoodrich t1_j5cf8hx wrote on January 22, 2023 at 12:01 AM

Agree that it was primarily a case of good timing; the tomb of King Tutankh-amon was not discovered until the 20th century. Had it been discovered 100 years earlier by a Brit, you can bet that the entire contents would reside today in that museum in London.