Eight Egyptians sent to trial for botched repair job on King Tut's mask

Eight Egyptians were referred to a disciplinary court on Sunday for "gross negligence".  They allegedly botched the repair and scratched King Tut's mask.

In a report by NewsWeek, the beard of King Tut's famous mask was accidentally knocked off in 2014 and it was hastily re-acttached using an epoxy adhesive.  As the adhesive was drying, it left marks on the mask which were allegedly scraped off using a spatula.

Prosecutors interviewed on this case said that in covering up the damage, the persons involved used sharp instruments such as scalpels and metal tools to remove traces of adhesive on the 3,300 year-old national treasure.

A CTV News interview with the prosecutors said that the eight accused now face fines and disciplinary measures which could include dismissal.  They also added that the then-head of the Egyptian Museum and the chief of the restoration department have also been implicated in the matter.

The mask was back on display last month, thanks to the skills of a German-Egyptian team of specialists. They used beeswax, an adhesive used in ancient times, to re-attach the beard. 

CTV News was also able to interview a museum conservator, who was present at the time of repair, who saw a colleague remove dried epoxy on the face of the mask using a spatula.  Another witness, a conservator who inspects the artifact regularly and saw the scratches, claimed it was clear that a tool had been made to scrape off the epoxy. Both witnesses wishes to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions.

British archaeologists discovered the mask along with other artifacts in 1922, ABC News reports.  It is housed in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, a museum built in 1902 and houses ancient Egyptian artifacts and mummies. To date, the mask is the museum's most famous piece and one of the world's most priceless artifacts.  Its discovery sparked a worldwide interest in archaeology and in ancient Egypt. Its exhibit is a major attraction that draws visitors from all over the world.

Lately, King Tut has gotten the media and archaeological circles abuzz after a theory by British Egyptologist Nicholas Reeves.  He theorized that Tutankhamun, who died at 19, may have been rushed into an outer chamber of what was originally Queen Nefertiti's tomb.

Tags

King Tut, relic, museum, art restoration, Beeswax, Egyptian relics

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