The Golden Throne of Tutankhamun

The golden throne of Tutankhamun that Howard Carter discovered in the Antechamber beneath the hippopotamus couch is alike to the chair belonging to Sitamun. The style was common for royal chairs of the Eighteenth Dynasty. Rather of female torsos starting from the seat, however, the more established lions are in their place. Carved of wood, the armchair is extended in gold, and there is some silver overlay also. Calcite, Colored glass, faience and semi-precious stones are used for the inlays.


The etched plant motif between the feline-form legs has been taken by the robbers, but the good openwork design of the arms stays intact. On either side, a quick cobra wears the double crown and remains on a basket. Her outstretched wings put in the hieroglyphs for the "king of Upper and Lower Egypt" came by the sign for infinity (shen). A cartouche of the king is at the end of her wings on either face of the chair.

The Golden Throne of Tutankhamun
The Golden Throne of Tutankhamun

The back of the chair is endured by three vertical struts; the outer two are sliced with the king's Aton name, the middle one with that of the queen. Four hooded cobra with solar discs rise up in pairs between all of the supports. A carved and gilded scene with birds in a thicket appears on the outer rise of the back of the seat. In the triangular opening processed between the diagonal of the back and the vertical sustain on each side is a hooded cobra. The one on the left tires the red crown of Lower Egypt, meanwhile the one on the right has the white crown of Upper Egypt.

The iconography concerns to Atonist doctrines, but the calls of the king and queen looking on the chair use both the earlier (Aton) and afterward (Amun) forms. Such a combination indicate that the chair was likely produced rather early in Tutankhamun's reign, during the time period of transition to the orthodox religion.

Related Posts:

Tutankhamun Jewelry
Tutankhamun Mummy
Tutankhamun Tomb (KV62)
Howard Carter
Leopard Head in Tutankhamun Tomb
Tutankhamun Mask
Tutankhamun's Death
Tutankhamun Exhibition
Tutankhamun's Life
Tutankhamuns Children
Tutankhamun (1334-1325 B.C.)

Labels