The splendors of Egypt on display in Atlanta

Bluffton Today

There are 130 extraordinary objects that include artifacts not only from Tutankhamun, but treasures from pharaohs who ruled the Nile between 2600 and 660 BC. We began our trek through the exhibit just as busloads of students joined us. These children who normally might be abit restless in amuseum atmosphere walked beside us as totally awed as we were seeing firsthand not only statues, but everyday items like Tutankhamun’s bed and nearby a wooden table over 4,000 years old.

It boggled the mind. One room held cases of jewelry beautifully crafted of lapis lazuli, carnelian and gold, lots of gold. In the gift shop were copies and I determined that with the first extra $1,500 in my pocket, one of those necklaces would go home with me.

This brief glimpse into the lives of Khafre, the pharaoh whose pyramid is the only remaining structure of the seven wonders of the ancient world, Hatshepsut, the queen who became king and wore men’s clothing along with personal objects like Tutankhamun’s golden sandals that looked surprisingly modern, and his peculiar toe and finger protectors of gold, brings an awareness of how cultures no matter how sophisticated can simply disintegrate.