NEARLY THREE DECADES AGO, a traveling exhibition of Tutank hamun's treasures set off a worldwide mania for "King Tut"; now, celebrating their new tour of Europe and the United States, National Geographic is proud to present this magnificent volume that features many of the finest pieces from this priceless collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts.

NEARLY THREE DECADES AGO, a traveling exhibition of Tutank hamun's treasures set off a worldwide mania for "King Tut"; now, celebrating their new tour of Europe and the United States, National Geographic is proud to present this magnificent volume that features many of the finest pieces from this priceless collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts.

Captured in lavish detail and sumptuous color, here are scores of objects dating back to the reigns and tombs of such fabled kings and queens as Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and, of course, Tutankhamun, the richest trove of all. From superbly sculpted life sized statues to elegantly inlaid furniture to funerary urns and myriad implements that guarantee safe passage to the Afterlife, they offer vivid insights into the skillful workmanship and astonishing sophistication of Egyptian culture in the golden age of the pharaohs. Intricate golden jewelry glitters with precious gems, while bas relief panels depict great events and religious ceremonies. Each photograph is accompanied by a precise description of materials, sub ject, and significance.

The text by Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, chronicles pharaonic history and presents fascinating chapters on everything from daily life in Tutankhamun's world to the gods and goddesses worshiped in elaborate ceremonies and the complex rituals associated with royal death and burial. His account of Howard Carter's momentous 1922 discovery of Tut's tomb is complete with archival photographs, and a separate section on the boy king's mummy demonstrates how contemporary archaeologists use such modem techniques as CT scans and DNA to advance our understanding of ancient life.

As beautiful as it is informative, Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs gazes back across millennia to show us the astonishing splendor of a great civilization at its pinnacle.

Forewords by H.E. Suzanne Mubarak, First Lady of Egypt, and Farouk Hosni, Minister of Culture 

Introduction 

CHAPTER I

Prelude to Tutankhamun  

CHAPTER 2

Daily Life in Tutankhamun's World 

CHAPTER 3

Religion Before Tutankhamun 

CHAPTER 4

Death, Burial, and the Afterlife  

CHAPTER 5

The Discovery of Tutankhamun  

CHAPTER 6

Tutankhamun, King of Egypt  

CHAPTER 7

The Glint of Gold Everywhere  

CHAPTER 8

The Mummy of Tutankhamun  

Acknowledgments  

Bibliography    

Index  

Credits