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King Tut in San Francisco, Cairo, and the Valley of the Kings: Several Egyptian adventure options
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Entry sign on King Tut's tomb. Photo by Molly McCahan.
It was 87 years ago today when British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the entrance to King Tut’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings near Luxor, Egypt. Several years of subsequent excavation revealed thousands of relics and objects related to the revered king, most of which make their permanent home today in the Egyptian Museum in the capital city of Cairo.
My husband and I had the good fortune to spend 11 days in Egypt in June 2007. On our Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan, we endured 100+ degree daily temperatures, with the mercury rising to 120 the morning we toured the remote Valley of the Kings. It literally felt like we were standing inside a pizza oven. While summer in this North African country is anything but pleasant, the endearing culture and ancient history make up for it.
We chose not to pay the inflated entry fee to visit King Tut’s tomb, as our guide told us that other tombs in the area were just as interesting and more intact. We took him for his word and were not disappointed. We explored several of the lesser-known tombs in the Valley of the Kings, as well as many more impressive temples and historic sites during our four days along the Nile. Just being in the area where these ancient people thrived thousands of years ago was a rewarding experience in itself.
It’s a powerful moment when you first lay eyes upon the great pyramids and the iconic sphinx at Giza just outside the capital city. Despite being a major tourist draw with huge crowds, the area still possesses a magical quality. I vividly recall standing in the shadow of the part-lion/part-human behemoth in absolute awe, mesmerized by the great stone beast. I’d dreamt for decades of visiting here, and finally I‘d arrived. But I found it difficult to digest what I saw before me as real history and not some attraction built more recently for the benefit of modern-day sightseers. Even after you absorb their ancient origins, these enormous and complex structures at Giza leave you in utter disbelief.
A visit to Cairo’s Egyptian Museum didn’t disappoint, either, although standards are definitely lower than in more developed countries. Despite attempts to modernize, Cairo is still very third-world. While trying to impart a sense of grandeur (how could it not, given the sheer number and age of many of the objects it houses?), the Egyptian Museum leaves a bit to be desired. Its attempt to display some of history’s most famous and ancient artifacts seems disorganized, jumbled, and sloppy at times.
The building is old, stuffy, dirty, dimly lit in many places, and devoid of air conditioning, which makes visiting here in warmer seasons uncomfortable. Without much rhyme or reason to their placement, endless rows of display cases line the equally infinite rooms here. Masses of Western tour groups ply the halls, led by loud guides barking a variety of foreign languages. The entire setting overwhelms and intrigues at the same time.
Many of the works of art are unlabelled and appear as if they were just randomly corralled into an unruly exhibit of sorts. In a way, this allows the imagination to run wild; you can’t help but envision just where and when these things were discovered. But I found myself hungry for added information. Even more disconcerting, there are limited staff circulating about, as well as few ropes and barriers, to prevent the touching and defacing of objects. While I certainly knew better than to get too close, it wasn’t uncommon to see others petting the ancient stone statues, perhaps out of reverence, perhaps out of ignorance, or maybe a combination of both.
Toward the end of our visit, I watched with respect as an armed guard dropped to his knees for the afternoon call to prayer, his rifle propped up against a wall out of arm’s reach. The whole scene had an archaic, homey feeling to it, which might not be such a bad thing. Back in the States, museum security guards tend to track your every move. Here in Cairo, I felt unwatched and left to roam as I pleased. It was an odd but refreshing freedom.
The one exception is King Tut, which comes as no surprise. Even the Egyptians recognize the worldwide attraction to their beloved boy king, and they‘ve done their best to pull out all the stops. The main room of Tut’s display is opulent, lush, and dreamy. The exhibits are well-displayed and thought out, not to mention heavily guarded and monitored. Information is readily available. Lights shine brightly. Cool air circulates about. There’s a sense of order and respect present here. And as with the Mona Lisa in Paris’ Louvre, it’s not hard to find your way to the main attraction. Throngs of people - locals and tourists alike - continually line the hallway waiting for a glimpse of the museum‘s most famous resident.
If a trip to Egypt isn’t in your near future (not to mention your budget), you’re in luck. Bay Areans don’t have to travel too far to get a glimpse of these wonderful artifacts. Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs opened at San Francisco’s de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park on June 27 this year, and will run through March 28, 2010. According to the museum, all of the pieces in the current exhibit are more than 3,000 years old. This isn’t the first time King Tut has graced our beloved City by the Bay. In 1979, exactly 30 years ago, the de Young hosted the Treasures of Tutankhamun exhibit to wide acclaim.
Whether you make the closer-to-home trip to the de Young or have the awesome chance to catch the boy king in his homeland, an encounter with anything Tut is guaranteed to deliver.
For practical information and suggestions for an Egyptian visit, read:
Travel to Egypt: Tips and insights for adventures in and around Cairo, Giza, Luxor, and Aswan
In the South Bay, don’t miss San Jose’s Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum & Planetarium, which reportedly houses the largest collection of Egyptian artifacts on exhibit in western North America.
If you find yourself in London, England, consider a visit to the British Museum (it‘s free!), which offers an impressive collection of Egyptian artifacts. Closer to home, Art of the Ancient World at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MA, is considered one of the best collections of its kind, containing over 83,000 works, including objects from Egypt and Nubia. Through May 16, 2010, you can also explore their Secrets of Tomb 10A exhibit. Budding Egyptologists might enjoy a closer look at Boston's Giza Archives project.
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