Watching: 30 Minute Meals (the SG-1 episode is Fire and Water :( )
Thinking: I have a lot of obligations!
Feeling: Impressed by Ancient History!
2005-08-04 - 6:30 PM
Tutankhamun!/New Background!
Oh my God! I went to the Tutankhamun show in L.A.! The last time it was here I was a year old, so of course, even if I'd been able to go, I wouldn't have remembered it. Anyway, there were tons of artefacts, not just from the tomb of Tutankhamun, but from his father, Ankhenaten, Amhenotep III (my personal favourite Ancient Egyptian King), and others. Though, obviously, Tutankhamun's collection was the largest. Anyway, I understood the importance of proper burial preparation to ensure safe passage through the underworld, but it is really driven home when you see these artifacts in real life. The artistry that goes in to the shabtis, the symbolic boats, food, containers, is absolutely breathtaking. A dagger found on the mummy of Tutankhamun has two cartouches on the top part of the handle containing his birth name (Nomen) and his chosen name of Tutankhamun (actually changed from Tutankhaten after he reinstated traditional Ancient Egyptian beliefs) which are less than a centimetre long even together. Yet Tutankhamun's names are meticulously inscribed. Each hieroglyph is perhaps the size if half a "1" on the average computer keyboard. I think what struck me most, however, was just seeing the items Ancient Egyptians used in everyday life. A jewelry box which belonged to Tutankhamun, a traveling game set which belonged to him (and which has a compartment in which to store the miniature game pieces and a board on both sides for playing two different games, just like many traveling game sets today), perfume containers... It is easy to imagine the Egyptians of the past using these items, Tutankhamun himself as a young king, playing the games with his brothers, sisters, and subjects. Perfume and makeup containers were often decorated with imagery that was important to the Ancient Egyptians. Similar to how many items we use today have containers decorated with things which bring us comfort in their beauty or and or their meaning to us.
In any case, we were there for five hours, from 4:00 to 8:00, but it sure didn't seem like it, that is at least until when we were completely done! Anyway, I bought a shirt (size medium in kids, I usually wear a large in kids but all the tees were cut big), a key chain, and Ancient Egyptian flash cards (not that I really need them, but the art is nice, and, well, bit of insurance, I suppose). The worst part of this is knowing I may never have the chance to actually see these amazing treasures again, but you never know, and at least I had the chance at all.I changed my computer background! Yes, of course to another Daniel theme. I like this one even better, though, it has a lot more pictures and one where he's smiling. ^_^
Getting - Better
