Ancient Egypt: Artifacts of Tutankhamun Quiz

Answer: Cartouche

A cartouche is oval-shaped symbol that represents a royal name, and was usually only worn by a pharaoh. It was very important to the ancient Egyptians to have their name recorded because they believed they would live as long as their name was spoken.

The cartouche on the left shows Tutankhamun's birth or son of Ra name which means "the living image of Amun". When Tutankhamun became pharaoh, the cartouche on the right was added; his throne name was Nebkheperure, which means "Lord of the forms of Re".

Answer: Ankh

Ancient Egyptians called a hand mirror "maw her", or "that which sees the face", but is was also known by another word, "ankh", which means "life". While this hand mirror might have been one of Tutankhamun's personal possessions, it is also possible that is was made as a tomb artifact.

Some mummies have been found with the mirror placed in front of the face, however, this was not the case with this mirror. In fact, Howard Carter, who discovered Tutankhamun's tomb, believed the mirror in the case might have been polished silver, which was taken by grave robbers!

Answer: Chariot

King Tutankhamun's tomb held a vast array of chariots: two were large, ceremonial chariots, there was a smaller decorated one, and three others that were lighter and probably made for daily use. The chariot in the picture is a reproduction. It is believed that King Tutankhamun could have traveled approximately 25 miles per hour in the lighter chariots, which featured wooden tires with spoked wheels.

Answer: Coronation Chair

The decorations seen on the chair indicate that it was used in some sort of religious ceremony, thought to have been King Tutankhamun's coronation. Look closely - you will find the king's personal and throne names in the cartouche form. On the back of the chair is pictured the god of eternity, Heh, who is seen with an ankh.

The inscription on the top of the chair reads, "May the good god live, the son of Amun, offspring of the majesty of Ra, excellent seed and pure egg, whom Horus nurtured in the temple..."

Answer: Perfumed ointment

Approximately fifty alabaster vases, made for the purpose of holding unguent, or ointment, were found in King Tutankhamun's tomb. Unguents were usually more solid in nature, but easily melted when next to body heat. Unfortunately, ancient grave robbers are believed to have emptied the vases of their contents, which, in the ancient world, were considered to be very valuable.

Answer: Head Rest

The ancient Egyptians believed the head was the seat of life, and its preservation was absolutely necessary for continued existence after death. It, therefore, needed the help of magic to function properly. The power of a head rest, according to a passage in the Egyptian Book of the Dead, was associated with resurrection.

Answer: It provided magical protection from evil spirits.

To the ancient Egyptians, the vulture was a sacred animal. Many goddesses, including Isis and Nekhbet, were associated with the bird. It was believed that all vultures were female and were spontaneously born from eggs without any assistance from males. Because of its position in the food chain as a scavenger, the vulture was linked to the cycle of death and rebirth.

Answer: Shabti

Shabti figures are probably some of the most common objects found in ancient Egyptian tombs. If Osiris required the deceased to do some sort of work, which would, in all probability, be agricultural in nature, the shabti would serve as a substitute worker for its owner.

Answer: Canopic Chest

Four internal organs, the lungs, liver, stomach, and intestines, were taken from the body and dried during mummification. Afterward, they would be placed in canopic jars, and located in the tomb near the mummy. In the tomb of King Tutankhamun, the four jars were placed in a canopic chest with alabaster stoppers, in the image of the king, placed on top of each jar.

Answer: To ensure that people could recognize the deceased in the afterlife.

The mask, made of a sheet of solid gold, is considered to be at least an approximation of the appearance of King Tutankhamun. On the top of the mask, the symbols of the cobra and vulture show that Tutankhamun was king of both Upper and Lower Egypt. Because it was difficult to preserve the facial features during mummification, the funeral mask insured that Tutankhamun would be recognized in the afterlife.