Egypt to hold conference on safe transport, display of King Tut’s treasures | Cairo Post

http://www.thecairopost.com/news/149139/culture/egypt-to-hold-conference-on-safe-transport-display-of-king-tuts-treasures

Egypt to hold conference on safe transport, display of King Tut's treasures 

May. 07, 2015 10:00

Funerary Mask of King Tutankhamen - YOUM7 (Archive)

By Rany Mostafa

CAIRO: The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is hosting the 1^st international Tutankhamen Conference to discuss views on the best scientific ways to transport and display the young Pharaoh's treasures in the GEM.

"Conservation experts from 15 countries along with concerned specialized institutions and academics are to participate and present scientific solutions and innovative ways to ensure the highest possible safety for the transportation, conservation and display of the Pharaoh's priceless treasures of 4,000 artifacts," General Director of the GEM Dr. Tarek Tawfik told The Cairo Post Wednesday.

The announcement of the 5-day conference follows reports in early 2015 of hasty conservation of the beard of the Golden Mask of Tutankhamen, which attracted media attention and coverage worldwide. Household epoxy glue was used to re-attach the beard to the priceless mask after a museum worker broke it off while changing a light bulb in the display case.

"Curators of five international museums including the Egyptian Museums in Berlin and Turin are to be present during the conference scheduled to be held May 10-14 at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization," said Tawfik.

The GEM conference center is currently under construction, said Tawfik.

The GEM is scheduled to be partially inaugurated in 2018, Tawfik said, adding that "for the first time since the discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb, the entire Pharaoh's collection totaling over 4,000 artifacts will be on display in a 7,000 square-meter hall that will be dedicated for that purpose."

The cornerstone of the museum was laid in February 2002 and was scheduled to be inaugurated in 2012 but it was delayed after the outbreak of the 2011 uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak.

Several artifacts of Tutankhamen's treasures, currently on display at the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, have been already moved to the GEM during the past two years.

Tutankhamen was the 13^th pharaoh of the 18^th Dynasty (1580B.C.-1310 B.C.) who died mysteriously at the age of 18 after ruling for nine years. He was succeeded by his army general Pharaoh Ay.