Mask of Tutankhamun is a precision artifact in Egypt, Africa. It is part of Valley of the Kings. It is held at Cairo (confirm current display: Egyptian Museum or Grand Egyptian Museum). Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities dates it to c. 1323 BCE. Its listed material is Gold with inlays.
A gold funerary mask inlaid with glass and semi-precious stone.
A protective spell from Chapter 151 of the Book of the Dead is inscribed in Egyptian hieroglyphs on the mask's back and shoulders. The text, arranged in ten vertical and two horizontal lines, invokes various deities to protect the deceased's physical features, such as Anubis for the forehead and Horus for the nape of the neck. This tradition of placing spells on funerary masks dates back to the Middle Kingdom, roughly 500 years before Tutankhamun's reign.
X-ray crystallography conducted in 2007 revealed that the mask is primarily constructed from two layers of high-purity gold, ranging from 1.5 to 3 mm in thickness. The base material is 23-karat gold alloyed with copper to enable cold working. The surface is finished with a 30-nanometre layer of two distinct gold alloys: a lighter 18.4-karat shade specifically for the face and neck, and a 22.5-karat alloy for the remainder of the mask's structure.
The mask is elaborately decorated with a variety of semi-precious stones and colored glass. Lapis lazuli is used for the eyebrows and eye surrounds, while the eyes themselves are fashioned from quartz with obsidian pupils. Other materials include carnelian, turquoise, amazonite, and faience. The blue stripes on the pharaoh's nemes headcloth are made of glass, and the royal insignia features a cobra (Wadjet) and a vulture (Nekhbet) representing the unification of Lower and Upper Egypt.
The mask's 2.5-kilogram gold beard, which features a plaited effect via blue glass inlays, has undergone multiple reattachments. Originally found separated in 1925, it was reattached with a wooden dowel in 1944. In 2014, it was accidentally knocked off during cleaning and hastily glued back with epoxy, causing damage. A professional German-Egyptian team corrected this in 2015 using beeswax, a natural adhesive used by ancient Egyptians, leading to disciplinary action against eight museum employees.
The mask stands 54 centimeters (21.3 inches) tall, with a width of 39.3 centimeters (15.5 inches) and a depth of 49 centimeters (19 inches). It weighs a total of 10.23 kilograms (22.6 pounds), which is equivalent to approximately 321.5 troy ounces. These dimensions and its substantial weight reflect the significant amount of fine gold used in its construction, making it one of the most substantial and iconic artifacts recovered from the Valley of the Kings.
Following its removal from the tomb in December 1925, the mask was transported 635 kilometers (395 miles) to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. It remained a centerpiece of that collection for decades. As of 2026, the mask has been moved to the Grand Egyptian Museum. It is identified in archaeological records by several designations, including Carter number 256a, Journal d'Entrée number 60672, and Exhibition number 220.
The mask was discovered on October 28, 1925, by a team led by English archaeologist Howard Carter. Although the tomb of Tutankhamun was first located in 1922 and the burial chamber opened in 1923, it took two additional years to reach the innermost of three coffins containing the mummy. Upon opening the final coffin, Carter observed the gold mask for the first time in approximately 3,250 years, noting its tranquil expression and its alignment with the attributes of the god Osiris.
Although frequently removed for public display, the mask includes a triple-string necklace accessory. This piece is composed of gold and blue faience disc-beads. The necklace is finished with lotus flower terminals and uraeus (cobra) clasps. This accessory adds to the complex layering of symbolic and decorative elements found within the pharaoh's sarcophagus, reflecting a confluence of solar cult beliefs and the cult of Osiris during the Eighteenth Dynasty.
The mask is designed to represent Tutankhamun in the form of Osiris, the Egyptian god of the afterlife. Ancient Egyptians believed that preserving a king in the likeness of Osiris would allow them to rule the Kingdom of the Dead. While the mask bears the god's attributes, Howard Carter noted that the facial features remained a beautiful and placid likeness of the young king himself, matching the features found on his other statues and coffins throughout the tomb.
The mask features pierced ears, a detail that has sparked debate among Egyptologists. Nicholas Reeves suggests this indicates the mask was originally intended for a female pharaoh, such as Neferneferuaten, as earrings were typically reserved for queens and children in Egyptian art. However, Zahi Hawass disputes this, asserting that all 18th Dynasty rulers wore earrings. Reeves further argues that the face was a separate addition to a pre-existing mask, though conservation experts like Christian Eckmann found no physical evidence of such alterations.
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Find from Valley of the Kings
Compare the published evidence and its interpretations. “Consensus” records the mainstream account; “Alternative” identifies a competing interpretation, not an equally established conclusion. Estimates and unresolved questions remain qualified in the claim text.
| Field | Consensus | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Date | 1323 BCE c. 1323 BCE Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities | No claims found. |
| Purpose | Inscribed Protective SpellA protective spell from Chapter 151 of the Book of the Dead is inscribed in Egyptian hieroglyphs on the mask's back and shoulders. The text, arranged in ten vertical and two horizontal lines, invokes various deities to protect the deceased's physical features, such as Anubis for the forehead and Horus for the nape of the neck. This tradition of placing spells on funerary masks dates back to the Middle Kingdom, roughly 500 years before Tutankhamun's reign. AI-assisted sourced research and publication delegated by the owner; not individually manually reviewed by a human.
Source providers: en.wikipedia.org • Mask of Tutankhamun Funerary mask Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities Discovery and Initial ExcavationThe mask was discovered on October 28, 1925, by a team led by English archaeologist Howard Carter. Although the tomb of Tutankhamun was first located in 1922 and the burial chamber opened in 1923, it took two additional years to reach the innermost of three coffins containing the mummy. Upon opening the final coffin, Carter observed the gold mask for the first time in approximately 3,250 years, noting its tranquil expression and its alignment with the attributes of the god Osiris. AI-assisted sourced research and publication delegated by the owner; not individually manually reviewed by a human.
Source providers: en.wikipedia.org • Mask of Tutankhamun Triple-String Bead NecklaceAlthough frequently removed for public display, the mask includes a triple-string necklace accessory. This piece is composed of gold and blue faience disc-beads. The necklace is finished with lotus flower terminals and uraeus (cobra) clasps. This accessory adds to the complex layering of symbolic and decorative elements found within the pharaoh's sarcophagus, reflecting a confluence of solar cult beliefs and the cult of Osiris during the Eighteenth Dynasty. AI-assisted sourced research and publication delegated by the owner; not individually manually reviewed by a human.
Source providers: en.wikipedia.org • Mask of Tutankhamun Likeness of OsirisThe mask is designed to represent Tutankhamun in the form of Osiris, the Egyptian god of the afterlife. Ancient Egyptians believed that preserving a king in the likeness of Osiris would allow them to rule the Kingdom of the Dead. While the mask bears the god's attributes, Howard Carter noted that the facial features remained a beautiful and placid likeness of the young king himself, matching the features found on his other statues and coffins throughout the tomb. AI-assisted sourced research and publication delegated by the owner; not individually manually reviewed by a human.
Source providers: en.wikipedia.org • Mask of Tutankhamun | No claims found. |
| Method | Metallurgical Composition and Gold AlloysX-ray crystallography conducted in 2007 revealed that the mask is primarily constructed from two layers of high-purity gold, ranging from 1.5 to 3 mm in thickness. The base material is 23-karat gold alloyed with copper to enable cold working. The surface is finished with a 30-nanometre layer of two distinct gold alloys: a lighter 18.4-karat shade specifically for the face and neck, and a 22.5-karat alloy for the remainder of the mask's structure. AI-assisted sourced research and publication delegated by the owner; not individually manually reviewed by a human.
Source providers: en.wikipedia.org • Mask of Tutankhamun Gemstone and Glass InlaysThe mask is elaborately decorated with a variety of semi-precious stones and colored glass. Lapis lazuli is used for the eyebrows and eye surrounds, while the eyes themselves are fashioned from quartz with obsidian pupils. Other materials include carnelian, turquoise, amazonite, and faience. The blue stripes on the pharaoh's nemes headcloth are made of glass, and the royal insignia features a cobra (Wadjet) and a vulture (Nekhbet) representing the unification of Lower and Upper Egypt. AI-assisted sourced research and publication delegated by the owner; not individually manually reviewed by a human.
Source providers: en.wikipedia.org • Mask of Tutankhamun Beard Detachment and RestorationThe mask's 2.5-kilogram gold beard, which features a plaited effect via blue glass inlays, has undergone multiple reattachments. Originally found separated in 1925, it was reattached with a wooden dowel in 1944. In 2014, it was accidentally knocked off during cleaning and hastily glued back with epoxy, causing damage. A professional German-Egyptian team corrected this in 2015 using beeswax, a natural adhesive used by ancient Egyptians, leading to disciplinary action against eight museum employees. AI-assisted sourced research and publication delegated by the owner; not individually manually reviewed by a human.
Source providers: en.wikipedia.org • Mask of Tutankhamun | No claims found. |
| Hieroglyphs | Inscribed Protective SpellA protective spell from Chapter 151 of the Book of the Dead is inscribed in Egyptian hieroglyphs on the mask's back and shoulders. The text, arranged in ten vertical and two horizontal lines, invokes various deities to protect the deceased's physical features, such as Anubis for the forehead and Horus for the nape of the neck. This tradition of placing spells on funerary masks dates back to the Middle Kingdom, roughly 500 years before Tutankhamun's reign. AI-assisted sourced research and publication delegated by the owner; not individually manually reviewed by a human.
Source providers: en.wikipedia.org • Mask of Tutankhamun | No claims found. |
The mask features pierced ears, a detail that has sparked debate among Egyptologists. Nicholas Reeves suggests this indicates the mask was originally intended for a female pharaoh, such as Neferneferuaten, as earrings were typically reserved for queens and children in Egyptian art. However, Zahi Hawass disputes this, asserting that all 18th Dynasty rulers wore earrings. Reeves further argues that the face was a separate addition to a pre-existing mask, though conservation experts like Christian Eckmann found no physical evidence of such alterations.
The mask stands 54 centimeters (21.3 inches) tall, with a width of 39.3 centimeters (15.5 inches) and a depth of 49 centimeters (19 inches). It weighs a total of 10.23 kilograms (22.6 pounds), which is equivalent to approximately 321.5 troy ounces. These dimensions and its substantial weight reflect the significant amount of fine gold used in its construction, making it one of the most substantial and iconic artifacts recovered from the Valley of the Kings.
Following its removal from the tomb in December 1925, the mask was transported 635 kilometers (395 miles) to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. It remained a centerpiece of that collection for decades. As of 2026, the mask has been moved to the Grand Egyptian Museum. It is identified in archaeological records by several designations, including Carter number 256a, Journal d'Entrée number 60672, and Exhibition number 220.
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Approximate - counted from January 1, 1,323 BCE (UTC).
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