MoAW presents
TUTANKHAMUN: "Wonderful Things"
A Brief History of Ancient Egypt
New Member Benefit
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TUTANKHAMUN: "Wonderful Things"
Treasures From The Pharaoh's Tomb
From the artisans of the Pharaonic Village in Egypt, this dazzling collection of reproductions of Tutankhamun’s legendary treasures recreates the richest archaeological find of all time.
You'll see 124 replicas of the Pharaoh’s sacred and personal possessions (including his magnificent state chariot, golden shrines, beds, thrones, jewelry, spectacular funerary mask, and royal mummy) along with associated artifacts from the period surrounding Tutankhamun’s reign that reconstruct both the historic discovery of the tomb by Howard Carter in 1922 and the life and times of Egypt’s celebrated boy king.
An innocent puppet ruler, Tutankhamun was caught in the midst of a dangerous and profound political, spiritual, and artistic revolution against the entire pantheon of ancient Egyptian gods by the first monotheistic religious cult in history. The pharaoh’s much overlooked African heritage is explored, along with the religious magic of the sacred objects, and the infamous curse of Tutankhamun.
This classic exhibition vividly brings to life the enigmatic opulent age of 18th Dynasty Egypt, presented in five areas of display beginning with an introduction to Ancient Egypt with a focus on Akhenaten and Nefertiti and the archaeological discovery of the Canopic and Anubis shrines flanked by the twin Ka statutes, which provoked the now famous, “What do you see? I see Wonderful Things!” exclamation by Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon.
Artifacts related to the personal life of the pharaoh such as his bed, sandals, and jewelry, followed by artifacts associated with his public life including his royal state chariot, throne, and scepters, and, finally, the burial chamber with his bejeweled mummy with crown, mummifying bed, and wishing cup, to mention a few, are just some of the sights you would be treated to.
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“...as my eyes grew accustomed to the light, details of the room within emerged slowly from the mist, strange animals, statues, and gold - everywhere the glint of gold. For the moment - an eternity it must have seemed to the others standing by - I was struck dumb with amazement, and when Lord Carnarvon, unable to stand the suspense any longer, inquired anxiously, 'Can you see anything?' it was all I could do to get out the words, 'Yes, wonderful things.”― Howard Carter, The Tomb of Tutankhamen
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Shield of Narmer
Ceremonial Palette.
At the close of the Pre-dynastic period (c. 3100 B.C.), the scattered agricultural tribes of the independent dominions of Upper Egypt (with its southern capitol in the desert) and Lower Egypt (with its northern capitol in the rich Nile delta) were unified under the rule of a powerful chieftain from the south, King Narmer. Also known as Menes, he founded the 1st Dynasty and built the city of Memphis in the north for his capital. Commemorating Narmer’s conquest, this 5,000 year old artifact is one of the oldest surviving historical documents.
The 2 faces of the palette (here rendered separately) depict the pharaoh smiting an enemy with a mace while wearing the white hedjet crown of Upper Egypt and parading his conquered foes before him, wearing the captured red deshret crown of Lower Egypt.
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Adorned with heads of the cow-goddess Hathor, the palette was functional as well as ceremonial: the recess between the fantastic, intertwined necks of the 2 leashed panthers was used for grinding cosmetics. |
Triad of Mycerinus.
The monumental pyramids at Giza were constructed during the Old Kingdom as tombs for the 4th Dynasty pharaohs Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure (Mycerinus by Greek tradition). Discovered in the Valley Temple of the pyramid of Menkaure as part of a series of 5 group statues, this splendid triad depicts the pharaoh dressed in the pleated scendyt loincloth and wearing the white hedjet crown of the region.
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To his right stands Hathor, goddess of fertility and plenty, with her arm around his shoulder; to his left, signified by the emblem above her head, stands the tutelary deity of the 17th nome (a royal province of Upper Egypt, with her arm around his other shoulder. Representing a guarantee of abundance from this region for the royal cult, the triad (a common representation of a god as a holy family trinity) identifies the pharaoh as equal to the immortal deities proudly flanking him. |
Limestone Relief of Horus.
Derived from an early sky god, the principal ancient Egyptian divinity was Horus, the rising sun, represented as a falcon and personified as the pharaoh. The legendary son of Isis and Osiris, Horus was magically conceived after his father’s death. While avenging the murder, Horus lost an eye which, presented as an offering to the dead Osiris, restored the god to life. Holding the ankh sign for life and carrying the divine was scepter, Horus is wearing the pschent (the double crown) of Upper and Lower Egypt. This relief characterizes the archaic, formal style of Egyptian art that preceded the radically realistic school of the New Kingdom.
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MoAW's mission is to educate a diverse audience about the history of ancient civilizations and prehistoric life using fossils and artifacts from a variety of cultures and time periods; to enhance universal curriculum development for local and surrounding school districts, colleges, and universities while establishing museum diversity for the Coachella Valley.
Hours of Operation:
Monday - Saturday
10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Sunday 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m.
The last admission is taken one hour before closing.
Admission:
$15.00 Adults
$12.00 Students, Seniors, & Military
$ 3.00 Discount available for Coachella Valley Residents
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, MoAW is a member of the North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) Association, the American Alliance of Museums, and the California Association of Museums.
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Coming Attraction
March through September 2022
the Museum of Ancient Wonders
presents
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VESSELS OF THE GODS
Treasures of the Ancient Greeks
1650 to 410 B.C.E
Reflecting the brilliance of a millennium of ancient Aegean culture, four distinct periods produced the designs of these vases: Minoan, Mycenaean, Corinthian, and Attic. Essentially consisting of silhouetted figures drawn against a background of red, black, or white, this art form gradually dies out after the Persian wars, c. 475-450 B.C.E. Shaped and painted by hand, these exquisite reproductions were created in Greece by master artists from the originals housed in The National Museum, Athens, The Heraklion Museum, The Thera Museum, The Corinth Museum, The Delphi Museum, The Louvre Museum, The Vatican Museum, and The Museo Civico, Brescia.
Please, feel free to preview this collection on MoAW's website: www.moaw.org
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Next Week:
Do you have a favorite piece at MoAW you would like to see highlighted in our weekly email? You can visit www.moaw.org, see the collections tab, visit the catalogs, and view Spotlights From The Past.
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Members Perks
So many reasons to join MoAW, you help keep the museum open, allow us to acquire new treasured artifacts and fossil displays, plan and present programs, to help local students learn about ancient civilizations and prehistoric life.
The newest perk of membership: Free admission to over 1,200 museums nationwide through the North American Reciprocal Museum Program (NARM) Plus, discounts at their museum shops and restaurants (if given to their members). Local museums include the Palm Springs Art Museum and Cabot's Pueblo Museum, several museums in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, throughout California, all 50 states, and the District of Columbia, plus Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda. This is available to all members at the Donor Level or higher. Current members who qualify will be receiving new membership cards with the NARM logo to be used at participating museums.
Current members who would like to upgrade their membership to take advantage of this new benefit please give us a call, (442) 268-5004.
Click below for more information and to join.
THANK YOU
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ON DISPLAY EXCLUSIVELY
AT THE
MUSEUM OF ANCIENT WONDERS
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FACES OF AFRICA:
A Mystical View of
Tribal Heritage
(38 Replica Masks and Sculptures)
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TUTANKHAMUN:
"Wonderful Things"
Treasures From The Pharaoh's Tomb
(124 Egyptian replicas)
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MESOZOICA:
The Age of Dinosaurs
(Approximately 100 fossil-cast dinosaur elements and fully-mounted skeletons from around the world.)
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LUCY:
The Story of Human Origins
(Courtesy of the Institute of Human Origins and the National Museum of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa)
On view exclusively at the
Museum of Ancient Wonders
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