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King Tut's Chariot Comes To Times Square
By
Jen Carlson
Published Aug 4, 2010
Modified Aug 4, 2010
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Aug 4, 2010
Modified Aug 4, 2010
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(Tutankhamun, obvs) has been reunited with his chariot, which was unveiled at his Times Square exhibit yesterday—this is the first time it's traveled outside of Egypt. The chariot was found in his tomb, and is believed to have been used by Tut... in fact, it may have been the very instrument of his death.
According to exhibit's organizers, "of the six chariots that archeologist Howard Carter discovered in King Tut’s tomb in 1922, this object from the Antechamber is unique; it is the only one that shows signs of use in life. It has a simpler and lighter construction than the other chariots found in the tomb, and may have served the young king as a traveling chariot, on the battlefield, or even in hunting expeditions. There is a possibility King Tut may have died after a fall from this very chariot."
In fact, the Daily News says that scientists believe the chariot may hold the key to Tut's mysterious death—and after a crash, he could have suffered gangrene or internal bleeding. They note the horse-drawn chariot could withstand speeds of 40 mph, and could have killed the 19-year-old Tut if he fell out of it during battle or a hunt. The creative director for the exhibit (on view until January 2nd), told the paper, "You can imagine him as a 15-year-old, riding around in this thing like a motorbike. It was probably really fast and something a young teenager would love." Perhaps Steve Martin can add a new verse to his 1978 classic, King Tut:
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chariot
death
exhibit
king tut
Times Square
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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