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Malaysian Reserve
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Malaysian Reserve
Egyptian conservators give King Tut's treasures new glow
by MENNA FAROUK AS A teenager, Eid Mertah would pore over books about King Tutankhamun, tracing hieroglyphs and dreaming of holding the boy pharaoh's golden mask in his hands. Years later, the Egyptian conservator found himself gently brushing centuries-old dust off one of Tut's gilded ceremonial shrines — a piece he had only seen in textbooks. 'I studied archaeology because of Tut,' Mertah, 36, told AFP. 'It was my dream to work on his treasures — and that dream came true.' Mertah is one of more than 150 conservators and 100 archaeologists who have laboured quietly for over a decade to restore thousands of artefacts ahead of the long-awaited opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) — a US$1 billion (RM4.25 billion) project on the edge of the Giza Plateau. Originally slated for July 3, the launch has once again been postponed — now expected in the final months of the year — due to regional security concerns. The museum's opening has faced delays over the years for various reasons, ranging from political upheaval to the Covid-19 pandemic. But when it finally opens, the GEM will be the world's largest archaeological museum devoted to a single civilisation. It will house more than 100,000 artefacts, with over half on public display, and will include a unique feature: A live conservation lab. From behind glass walls, visitors will be able to watch in real time as experts work over the next three years to restore a 4,500-year-old boat buried near the tomb of Pharaoh Khufu and intended to ferry his soul across the sky with the sun god Ra. But the star of the museum remains King Tut's collection of more than 5,000 objects — many to be displayed together for the first time. Among them are his golden funeral mask, gilded coffins, golden amulets, beaded collars, ceremonial chariots and two mummified foetuses believed to be his stillborn daughters. 'Puzzle of Gold' Many of these treasures have not undergone restoration since British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered them in 1922. The conservation methods used by Carter's team were intended to protect the objects, but over a century later, they have posed challenges for their modern-day successors. Coating gold surfaces in wax, for instance, 'preserved the objects at the time', said conservator Hind Bayoumi, 'but it then hid the very details we want the world to see'. For months, Bayoumi, 39, and her colleagues painstakingly removed the wax applied by British chemist Alfred Lucas, which had over decades trapped dirt and dulled the shine of the gold. Restoration has been a joint effort between Egypt and Japan, which contributed US$800 million in loans and provided technical support. Egyptian conservators — many trained by Japanese experts — have led cutting-edge work across 19 laboratories covering wood, metal, papyrus, textiles and more. Tut's gilded coffin — brought from his tomb in Luxor — proved one of the most intricate jobs. At the GEM's wood lab, conservator Fatma Magdy, 34, used magnifying lenses and archival photos to reassemble its delicate gold sheets. 'It was like solving a giant puzzle,' she said. 'The shape of the break, the flow of the hieroglyphs — every detail mattered.' Touching History Before restoration, the Tutankhamun collection was retrieved from several museums and storage sites, including the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, the Luxor Museum and the tomb itself. Some items were given light restoration before their relocation to ensure they could be safely moved. Teams first conducted photographic documentation, X-ray analysis and material testing to understand each item's condition before touching it. 'We had to understand the condition of each piece — the gold layers, the adhesives, wood structure — everything,' said Mertah, who worked on King Tut's ceremonial shrines at the Egyptian Museum. Fragile pieces were stabilised with Japanese tissue paper — thin but strong — and adhesives like Paraloid B-72 and Klucel G, both reversible and minimally invasive. The team's guiding philosophy throughout has been one of restraint. 'The goal is always to do the least amount necessary — and to respect the object's history,' said Mohamed Moustafa, 36, another senior restorer. Beyond the restoration work, the process has been an emotional journey for many of those involved. 'I think we're more excited to see the museum than tourists are,' Moustafa said. 'When visitors walk through the museum, they'll see the beauty of these artefacts. But for us, every piece is a reminder of the endless working hours, the debates, the training,' he added. 'Every piece tells a story.' — AFP This article first appeared in The Malaysian Reserve weekly print edition
Daily Record
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
TRNSMT Friday line-up: Everything you need to know about day one and the acts you don't want to miss
Scotland's biggest music festival returns today as fans from all around the country take to Glasgow Green for an unforgettable day of live performances from 50 Cent, The Script, Arthur Hill, James Bay and more. TRNSMT Festival kicks off today as the biggest music festival in Scotland returns to Glasgow Green, welcoming over 150,000 music lovers for another unforgettable weekend of great music. The first day of the festival promises a stellar line-up with a mix of chart topping names and crowd favourites including James Bay, Confidence Man, The Script are all set to take to the stage, building up the energy before 50 Cent closes the night with his headline performance. Alongside the main stage, festival-goers can enjoy performances at the King Tut's Stage, BBC Introducing Stage and the Radio One Dance Stage. This year, the Boogie Bar has been revamped and relocated near the main stage, and has been taken over by BBC Radio one, bringing you the best acts to get you dancing this weekend. This weekend is shaping up to be one of the hottest of the year, with a 50 Cent sweeping into Scotland. Today's weather is set to peak at 27C in the late afternoon, with a zero per cent chance of rain - making it an ideal day for festival goers heading to Glasgow Green. TRSNMT bosses are urging people visiting the festival to stay hydrated, wear suncream and make use of the free water refill stations around the site. Festival go-ers are able to take a collapsable water bottle or water pouch into Glasgow Green, but they must be empty on arrival. The gates for the festival open at 12pm today and music starts as soon as you get inside the gates. Here is the line up today, and potential clashes and how to avoid them. Line Up Main Stage Calum Bowie: 12.20pm to 12.50pm James Bay: 1.15pm to 1.55pm Twin Atlantic: 2.20pm to 3.05pm Jamie Webster: 3.35pm to 4.20pm Schoolboy Q: 4.50pm to 5.40pm Wet Leg: 6.10pm to 7.10pm The Script: 7.40pm to 8.40pm 50 Cent: 9.30pm to 10.50pm King Tut's Stage Remember Monday: 1pm to 1.30pm Nofun!: 2pm to 2.30pm Arthur Hill: 3pm to 3.40pm Good Neighbours: 4.10pm to 4.50pm The Royston Club: 5.20pm to 6.05pm Tanner Adell: 6.45pm to 7.30pm Confidence Man: 8.15pm to 9.15pm BBC Introducing Stage Becky Sikasa: 12.30pm to 1pm Fourth Daughter: 1.30pm to 2pm Indoor Foxes: 2.45pm to 3.15pm Redolent: 3.45pm to 4.15pm Cliffords: 4.45pm to 5.15pm Frankie Stew and Harvey Gunn: 6.15pm to 6.45pm Bemz: 7.15pm to 8pm Radio One Dance Stage Frankie Elyse: 12pm to 1pm Marianne: 1pm to 2pm Big Miz: 2pm to 4pm Connor Coates: 4pm to 6pm La La: 6pm to 8pm Nimino: 8pm to 9.30pm One of the biggest scheduling clashes of the day comes between Irish soft rock favourites The Script and Australian electro-pop duo Confidence Man, with their sets starting just 25 minutes apart. To catch the best of both acts, you could head to The Script's set at 7:40pm, stay until Confidence Man kicks off at 8:15pm or stick with The Script until they wrap up at 8:40pm, then make your way to the King Tut's Stage to catch the tail end of Confidence Man's performance. Whichever option you choose, both acts are must-sees you won't want to miss. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Observer
10-07-2025
- Science
- Observer
Egyptian conservators give King Tut's treasures new glow
As a teenager, Eid Mertah would pore over books about King Tutankhamun, tracing hieroglyphs and dreaming of holding the boy pharaoh's golden mask in his hands. Years later, the Egyptian conservator found himself gently brushing centuries-old dust off one of Tut's gilded ceremonial shrines -- a piece he had only seen in textbooks. "I studied archaeology because of Tut," Mertah, 36, told AFP. "It was my dream to work on his treasures -- and that dream came true." Mertah is one of more than 150 conservators and 100 archaeologists who have laboured quietly for over a decade to restore thousands of artefacts ahead of the long-awaited opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) -- a $1 billion project on the edge of the Giza Plateau. Originally slated for July 3, the launch has once again been postponed -- now expected in the final months of the year -- due to regional security concerns. The museum's opening has faced delays over the years for various reasons, ranging from political upheaval to the Covid-19 pandemic. But when it finally opens, the GEM will be the world's largest archaeological museum devoted to a single civilisation. It will house more than 100,000 artefacts, with over half on public display, and will include a unique feature: a live conservation lab. From behind glass walls, visitors will be able to watch in real time as experts work over the next three years to restore a 4,500-year-old boat buried near the tomb of Pharaoh Khufu and intended to ferry his soul across the sky with the sun god Ra. But the star of the museum remains King Tut's collection of more than 5,000 objects -- many to be displayed together for the first time. Among them are his golden funeral mask, gilded coffins, golden amulets, beaded collars, ceremonial chariots and two mummified foetuses believed to be his stillborn daughters. Egyptian conservators give King Tut's treasures new glow - 'Puzzle of gold' - Many of these treasures have not undergone restoration since British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered them in 1922. The conservation methods used by Carter's team were intended to protect the objects, but over a century later, they have posed challenges for their modern-day successors. Coating gold surfaces in wax, for instance, "preserved the objects at the time", said conservator Hind Bayoumi, "but it then hid the very details we want the world to see". For months, Bayoumi, 39, and her colleagues painstakingly removed the wax applied by British chemist Alfred Lucas, which had over decades trapped dirt and dulled the shine of the gold. Restoration has been a joint effort between Egypt and Japan, which contributed $800 million in loans and provided technical support. Egyptian conservators -- many trained by Japanese experts -- have led cutting-edge work across 19 laboratories covering wood, metal, papyrus, textiles and more. Tut's gilded coffin -- brought from his tomb in Luxor -- proved one of the most intricate jobs. At the GEM's wood lab, conservator Fatma Magdy, 34, used magnifying lenses and archival photos to reassemble its delicate gold sheets. "It was like solving a giant puzzle," she said. "The shape of the break, the flow of the hieroglyphs -- every detail mattered." Egyptian conservators give King Tut's treasures new glow - Touching history - Before restoration, the Tutankhamun collection was retrieved from several museums and storage sites, including the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, the Luxor Museum and the tomb itself. Some items were given light restoration before their relocation to ensure they could be safely moved. Teams first conducted photographic documentation, X-ray analysis and material testing to understand each item's condition before touching it. "We had to understand the condition of each piece -- the gold layers, the adhesives, wood structure -- everything," said Mertah, who worked on King Tut's ceremonial shrines at the Egyptian Museum. Fragile pieces were stabilised with Japanese tissue paper -- thin but strong -- and adhesives like Paraloid B-72 and Klucel G, both reversible and minimally invasive. The team's guiding philosophy throughout has been one of restraint. "The goal is always to do the least amount necessary -- and to respect the object's history," said Mohamed Moustafa, 36, another senior restorer. Beyond the restoration work, the process has been an emotional journey for many of those involved. "I think we're more excited to see the museum than tourists are," Moustafa said. "When visitors walk through the museum, they'll see the beauty of these artefacts. But for us, every piece is a reminder of the endless working hours, the debates, the trainings." "Every piece tells a story." —AFP
The Sun
10-07-2025
- Science
- The Sun
Egyptian conservators restore King Tut treasures for Grand Egyptian Museum
GIZA PLATEAU: For over a decade, a team of Egyptian conservators has worked meticulously to restore thousands of artefacts belonging to King Tutankhamun, preparing them for display at the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM). The $1 billion museum, set to open later this year, will be the world's largest archaeological museum dedicated to a single civilisation. Among the conservators is Eid Mertah, 36, who once dreamed of holding King Tut's golden mask as a child. Now, he carefully brushes dust off gilded shrines he once only saw in textbooks. 'I studied archaeology because of Tut,' Mertah said. 'It was my dream to work on his treasures—and that dream came true.' The museum will house over 100,000 artefacts, with more than half on public display. A unique feature will be a live conservation lab where visitors can watch experts restore a 4,500-year-old boat intended for Pharaoh Khufu's afterlife journey. King Tut's collection, including his golden mask, gilded coffins, and ceremonial chariots, remains the highlight. Many items have not been restored since their discovery by Howard Carter in 1922. Early conservation methods, such as wax coatings, preserved the artefacts but obscured details over time. Conservator Hind Bayoumi, 39, spent months removing wax applied by British chemist Alfred Lucas. 'It preserved the objects at the time,' she said, 'but it then hid the very details we want the world to see.' The restoration is a joint effort between Egypt and Japan, which provided $800 million in loans and technical support. Egyptian conservators, trained by Japanese experts, work across 19 specialised labs. One of the most challenging tasks was reassembling Tut's gilded coffin. Conservator Fatma Magdy, 34, described it as 'solving a giant puzzle,' using magnifying lenses and archival photos to align delicate gold sheets. Before restoration, artefacts were retrieved from multiple sites, including the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square and Luxor Museum. Teams conducted X-ray analysis and material testing to assess each item's condition. Fragile pieces were stabilised with Japanese tissue paper and reversible adhesives. Mohamed Moustafa, 36, a senior restorer, emphasised restraint in conservation. 'The goal is always to do the least amount necessary—and to respect the object's history,' he said. For the conservators, the process has been deeply personal. 'When visitors walk through the museum, they'll see the beauty of these artefacts,' Moustafa said. 'But for us, every piece is a reminder of the endless working hours, the debates, the training. Every piece tells a story.' - AFP
Kuwait Times
09-07-2025
- Science
- Kuwait Times
Egyptian conservators give King Tut's treasures new glow
As a teenager, Eid Mertah would pore over books about King Tutankhamun, tracing hieroglyphs and dreaming of holding the boy pharaoh's golden mask in his hands. Years later, the Egyptian conservator found himself gently brushing centuries-old dust off one of Tut's gilded ceremonial shrines -- a piece he had only seen in textbooks. 'I studied archaeology because of Tut,' Mertah, 36, told AFP. 'It was my dream to work on his treasures -- and that dream came true.' Mertah is one of more than 150 conservators and 100 archaeologists who have labored quietly for over a decade to restore thousands of artefacts ahead of the long-awaited opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) -- a $1 billion project on the edge of the Giza Plateau. Originally slated for July 3, the launch has once again been postponed -- now expected in the final months of the year -- due to regional security concerns. The museum's opening has faced delays over the years for various reasons, ranging from political upheaval to the Covid-19 pandemic. But when it finally opens, the GEM will be the world's largest archaeological museum devoted to a single civilization. It will house more than 100,000 artefacts, with over half on public display, and will include a unique feature: a live conservation lab. From behind glass walls, visitors will be able to watch in real time as experts work over the next three years to restore a 4,500-year-old boat buried near the tomb of Pharaoh Khufu and intended to ferry his soul across the sky with the sun god Ra. But the star of the museum remains King Tut's collection of more than 5,000 objects -- many to be displayed together for the first time. Among them are his golden funeral mask, gilded coffins, golden amulets, beaded collars, ceremonial chariots and two mummified foetuses believed to be his stillborn daughters. Visitors walk through the entrance of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in Giza. Visitors walk next the 3,200-year-old pink-granite colossal statue of King Ramses II at the entrance of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM). Visitors tour the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza on the southwestern outskirts of the capital Cairo. A visitor films a column capital depicting the ancient Egyptian goddess Hathor while touring the grand staircase at the Grand Egyptian Museum. An aerial view of (bottom-left) the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops) and (top-left) the under-construction Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM),expected to be inaugurated later in the year, on the outskirts of Giza. Tourists view the solid gold sarcophagus of the Ancient Egyptian New Kingdom Pharaoh Tutankhamun (1342-1325 BC), at the pharaoh's dedicated gallery in the Egyptian Museum. Egyptian archeologists, wearing personal protective equipment, performs restorations on the golden sarcophagus of the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun (reigned between 1342-1325 BC) at the restoration lab of the newly-built Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in Giza. An Egyptian archeologist, wearing personal protective equipment, performs restorations on the golden sarcophagus of the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun (reigned between 1342-1325 BC) at the restoration lab of the newly-built Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in Giza on the southwestern outskirts of the capital Cairo on April 13, 2020. --AFP photos 'Puzzle of gold' Many of these treasures have not undergone restoration since British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered them in 1922. The conservation methods used by Carter's team were intended to protect the objects, but over a century later, they have posed challenges for their modern-day successors. Coating gold surfaces in wax, for instance, 'preserved the objects at the time', said conservator Hind Bayoumi, 'but it then hid the very details we want the world to see'. For months, Bayoumi, 39, and her colleagues painstakingly removed the wax applied by British chemist Alfred Lucas, which had over decades trapped dirt and dulled the shine of the gold. Restoration has been a joint effort between Egypt and Japan, which contributed $800 million in loans and provided technical support. Egyptian conservators -- many trained by Japanese experts -- have led cutting-edge work across 19 laboratories covering wood, metal, papyrus, textiles and more. Tut's gilded coffin -- brought from his tomb in Luxor -- proved one of the most intricate jobs. At the GEM's wood lab, conservator Fatma Magdy, 34, used magnifying lenses and archival photos to reassemble its delicate gold sheets. 'It was like solving a giant puzzle,' she said. 'The shape of the break, the flow of the hieroglyphs -- every detail mattered.' Touching history Before restoration, the Tutankhamun collection was retrieved from several museums and storage sites, including the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, the Luxor Museum and the tomb itself. Some items were given light restoration before their relocation to ensure they could be safely moved. Teams first conducted photographic documentation, X-ray analysis and material testing to understand each item's condition before touching it. 'We had to understand the condition of each piece -- the gold layers, the adhesives, wood structure -- everything,' said Mertah, who worked on King Tut's ceremonial shrines at the Egyptian Museum. Fragile pieces were stabilized with Japanese tissue paper -- thin but strong -- and adhesives like Paraloid B-72 and Klucel G, both reversible and minimally invasive. The team's guiding philosophy throughout has been one of restraint. 'The goal is always to do the least amount necessary -- and to respect the object's history,' said Mohamed Moustafa, 36, another senior restorer. Beyond the restoration work, the process has been an emotional journey for many of those involved. 'I think we're more excited to see the museum than tourists are,' Moustafa said. 'When visitors walk through the museum, they'll see the beauty of these artefacts. But for us, every piece is a reminder of the endless working hours, the debates, the trainings.' 'Every piece tells a story.'--AFP
