Tutankhamun’s Sarcophagus

Abstract Tutankhamun’s sarcophagus was one of the few objects left inside the tomb when Carter completed the clearing. Because it was in a tomb that was constantly open to tourism, it received little attention from scholars. This chapter presents Dr. Marianne Eaton-Krauss’s careful examination of the sarcophagus and what it revealed. Her conclusion is that the sarcophagus had originally been intended for someone other than Tutankhamun. Close inspection showed that the wings of the four goddesses at the corners had been added later, and in order to make room for the wings, a previous inscription had been erased. The evidence suggests that the sarcophagus dates from the Amarna period, when all gods and goddesses other than the Aten were banished. Thus, the four goddesses were originally the mortal Nefertiti, and when the Amarna period was over her figure was altered to become that of a goddess. Further, the foot end of the sarcophagus is unfinished, with the knots of Isis and djd pillars only roughed out, suggesting the haste with which the sarcophagus was adapted for Tutankhamun. Even the lid of the sarcophagus shows signs that time was running out: it is not made from the same quartzite as the bottom. This chapter also discusses for whom the sarcophagus might have been originally prepared.