Category: images - Part 2

Sandro Vannini’s Photography – The Ceremonial Chariot

The State Chariot, one of six ceremonial chariots found inside the Tomb of King Tutankhamun. Image Copyright - Sandro Vannini.There were six Ceremonial Chariots discovered in the Tomb of King Tutankhamun (KV62), all dismantled in order to be able to take them down through the narrow corridors. In addition to the discovered chariots were miscellaneous fittings which would have belonged to other chariots. Sandro Vannini, the Egyptology photographer who has captured on film some of most stunning artefacts in history, took photographs of the State Chariot – the most beautifully decorated of the six found in the chamber – and the images are bought exclusively to the internet by Heritage Key.

The discovery of the ceremonial chariots were made by the great explorer Howard Carter and funded by Lord Carnarvon, and you can watch a Heritage Key video with the descendants of Lord Carnarvon, the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon who talk about the relationship between the two men (Watch the video).

‘Ceremonial Chariots’ Slideshow

Heritage Key is working with Sandro and bringing his extensive catalogue of beautiful photography of Egyptian antiquities onto the world wide web, which we’re sure will fascinate even the most hardcore Egyptologist! To watch a slideshow of the Ceremonial Chariot, simply click any of the thumbnails below.

Explore KV62 for yourself in King Tut Virtual

But it doesn’t stop there, as you can also visit King Tut Virtual and see digital recreations of many of the famous artefacts from KV62, walk through the Valley of the Kings, explore the banks of the River Nile in Ancient Egyptian times and even see more of Sandro Vannini’s photography in the virtual gallery.

Sandro Vannini’s Photography

After spending over a decade in Egypt, photographing some of the world’s most fascinating treasures from the collection kept at the Egyptian Museum, Cairo, Sandro has gained the experience and skills needed to make such beautiful artefacts come to live in his photography. Naturally, the equipment he uses plays a strong role too, and Sandro employs the use of a Hasselblad ELD Ixpress 528C camera to take these images. You can also see more of Sandro’s fantastic photography in his new book with the Director of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Dr Zahi Hawass, “The Lost Tombs of Thebes:Life in Paradise” as well as reading about Sandro’s experiences of shooting the photographs in Thebes on Heritage Key, and watching the video about the Lost Tombs of Thebes featuring Dr Zahi Hawass and Dr Janice Kamrin.

Of course, not everyone would be able to make that trip to Cairo to see the beautiful artefacts that the Egyptian Museum holds, so Heritage Key brings Sandro’s stunning photography of the Ceremonial Chariot of the Tomb of King Tut. But there’s more: you can visit virtual replicas of Tutankhamun treasures in the Heritage Key VX King Tut exhibition, which features a virtual replica of many other breath-taking artefacts such as the Golden Mask of King Tutankhamun.

Don’t miss out on new treasures!

This post is part of a series focussing on amazing photographs from ancient Egypt. Keep checking back as well keep adding new images by Sandro Vannini. To make sure you don’t miss out on any of the updates, simply subscribe by email to receive notifications when new images are uploaded. For the more digitally advanced, there’s also an RSS feed with updates available.

See More Amazing Photography by Sandro

Have a look at some of the other stunning photographs by Sandro Vannini here at Heritage Key:

Ask Sandro

We’ll be sitting down with our favourite photographer for an extended chat soon, so if you have any questions for Sandro we’ll send the answers straight to you!

The Ceremonial Chariots

The chariot was strongly associated with Kings throughout the Ancient Egyptian era, as the Pharaoh would be depicted as the key figure in battles, shooting arrows into the war zone. King Tutankhamun is shown on the Hunting Box in a chariot, firing arrows at Syrians and beasts, and was used by the 18th Dynasty Pharaohs as a powerful war vehicle. The concept of the chariot was first introduced two centuries prior by Hyksos.

The discovery of six chariots in the Tomb of King Tutankhamun was a significant find, as only two others have been found, as well as fragments of chariots discovered in the various tombs of the Valley of the Kings. The State Chariot is made of wood, which was then gessoed and gilded to give it its fine golden finish. The engravings were then impressed on top to complete the decor of the chariot.

The chariot boasts many engravings relating to the king’s victories over his enemies, and similarly to the Cosmetic Jar with Recumbent Lion, the Nubian and Asiatic enemies are shown being defeated in literal senses. The bodies of the two nemesis are shown being bent back in an awkwardly uncomfortable pose, cursed to eternal pain and misery, on the wooden yokes. On the inside of the chariot itself, a scene shows the two plants of Upper and Lower Egypt – the papyrus and the lily stalk – being used to bind the enemies of Ancient Egypt.

The god Bes is also prominent in the State Chariot, being carved from wood and covered in gold, with its tongue made from ivory. The god Bes, who is the god of the household and family, appears in several places around the chariot, and would serve to protect the occupants (usually the King, who would sometimes be accompanied by the Queen) and ensure no harm would come to them.

Many of the fragments and fittings were found loose with the chariots and were then carefully reassembled and put on display inside the Egyptian Museum, Cairo including the stunning State Chariot.

HD Video: King Tut Revealed The Treasure

You can learn more about the treasures found in King Tut’s tomb in this fascinating video with Dr Zahi Hawass, where he discusses some of his favourite artefacts found inside the burial tomb. Also check out the Related Videos where you can watch Dr Janice Kamrin touring the Egyptian Museum, Cairo and talking about the various artefacts housed there.

(Click here for the transcript of this video)

You can look at the Heritage Keys video page for all our videos to date and see more archaeologists working in Ancient Egypt. Additionally, you can find out more about Ancient Egypt here at Heritage Key, and if you want to do some discovery of your own, you can explore KV62 – King Tutankhamun’s tomb – in 3D in our exciting virtual experience! Also be sure to keep up to date on all new postings about Sandro’s photography from Egypt by subscribing to our feed, simply by entering your email address above.

Sandro Vannini’s Photography – Tomb of Seti I (KV17): The Burial Crypt

Seti I is thought to have ruled over Egypt for between 11 to 15 years, overseeing the most vibrant artistic period in its dynastic history, and so it is fitting that his tomb was one of the most elaborate and beautifully decorated found in the Valley of the Kings. The well preserved tomb was found in 1817 by Giovanni Battista Belzoni, and is the longest discovered so far, stretching to at least 136 metres. Excavations still continue to this very day at the depth of the tomb as archaeologists seek to uncover the secrets of a mysterious tunnel starting at the burial crypt. Dr Zahi Hawass is overseeing the excavations, and talks about what he thinks may be uncovered there in a Heritage Key video (watch the video by clicking here).

The burial crypt of Seti I’s tomb (KV17) was where the sarcophagus of the Pharaoh was discovered, which would later be sold to the Sir John Sloane Museum, London. Further excavations inside the tomb during the 1960s and 70s led to damage which would close the tomb to the public, in order to preserve KV17, and allow restoration works to take place. The highly regarded Egyptology photographer Sandro Vannini was granted access to KV17 to take stunning images of the Tomb of Seti I, and Heritage Key is working with Sandro to bring these beautiful photographs to the internet.

Sandro Vannini is of course no stranger to photographing the beauty of such tombs and treasures of Egypt, as his recent book The Lost Tombs of Thebes:Life in Paradise, authored by Dr Hawass is evidence of. You can read Sandro’s account on how he took the photographs right here on Heritage Key, as well as watching him in action in a video featuring Dr Hawass and Dr Janice Kamrin (Watch the video here), and check out his latest book – A Secret Voyage.

Sandro Vannini’s Photography

Several of Egypt’s fascinating tombs have been photographed by the famed archaeology photographer Sandro Vannini, who has spent over a decade taking beautiful photography of some of the most famous artefacts and tombs in Egyptian history, such as the elusive Golden Mask of King Tutankhamun. Using his Hasselblad ELD Ixpress 528C, Sandro took these photographs of the stunning wall paintings in Tomb KV17’s burial chamber of King Seti I and even though the tomb has now been closed to the public, we can still enjoy the beauty of the Tomb of Seti I through Sandro’s lens.

Don’t miss out on new treasures!

This post is part of a series focussing on amazing photographs from ancient Egypt. Keep checking back as well keep adding new images by Sandro Vannini. To make sure you don’t miss out on any of the updates, simply subscribe by email to receive notifications when new images are uploaded. For the more digitally advanced, there’s also an RSS feed with updates available.

See More Amazing Photography by Sandro

Have a look at some of the other stunning photographs by Sandro Vannini here at Heritage Key:

Ask Sandro

We’ll be sitting down with our favourite photographer for an extended chat soon, so if you have any questions for Sandro we’ll send the answers straight to you!

The Burial Crypt of the Tomb of Seti I (KV17)

The burial crypt of Seti I’s tomb is where the discovery of the Pharaoh’s sarcophagus was made, although oddly his mummified corpse was missing and would later be found in a mummy cache. The sarcophagus itself was engraved with passages from the Book of the Dead and Book of Gates, and would later be offered moved to London after Sir John Sloane purchased it for his museum at Lincoln’s Inn Fields.

The walls in this room take their passages from the Opening of the Mouth – a funerary ceremony which is described in the Pyramid Texts. The Ancient Egyptians believed that after death from the mortal world, the deceased Pharaoh would pass onto the afterlife, and sensory functions such as smell, hear and taste would be restored, as well as the ability for the mummy to be able to interact with the world he is in.

The ceremony would be performed by priests during the funerary proceedings, and would allow reanimate the mummified corpse with the ability to experience their sensory functions again. The tomb paintings in this room showed that SetiI would have first been washed with his body facing south, with natron from Upper and Lower Egypt used to cleanse his mouth.

The body would then have been surrounded with burning incense, to add perfume to the mummified corpse of Seti I. Then Seti I was draped in clothes made from a panther’s skin, and a heart from an ox was sacrificed to the Pharaoh. The foreleg of the ox would then have been cut off, and waved in the direction of the body, a move which signified strength and may have been representative of a transfer of power.

The mouth of SetiI’s mummy would then have been opened, using a tool called the ntjrwy tool. Other gifts, including an ostrich feather, and sacred knife are offered to the reanimated corpse, as well as various foods and fruits. The ceremony of the Opening of the Mouth would then have been completed, and the body would be then have been moved to the burial chamber of the Tomb of Seti I.

HDVideo: Dr Zahi Hawass and the Mysterious Tunnel in the Tomb ofSeti I (KV17)

One of the most fascinating aspects of the tomb of Seti I is a long, descending passageway from the burial crypt, which has yet to be fully explored by archaeologists. It may be a passageway to mythical waters of the God Nun, or lead to somewhere completely new – the excavation’s lead Dr Zahi Hawass sheds some light on what may be in at the end of this mysterious tunnel in this must-see video!

You can see the transcript of the movie over on the Video Page, as well as seeing other fascinating films from the Valley of the Kings shot by Sandro in our weekly series. Additionally, you can find out more about Ancient Egypt on Heritage Key, as well as being able to explore the Valley of the Kings and the fascinating KV62 – King Tutankhamun’s tomb – in 3D in our exciting virtual experience! Also be sure to keep up to date on all new postings about Sandro’s photography from Egypt by subscribing to our feed, simply by entering your email address above.

Satellite Image: Stonehenge, England’s famous Stone Circle

One of the most intriguing and mysterious ancient sites in Britain is Stonehenge, which continues to this day to captivate and fascinate the public. Standing in solitude in the hills of Wiltshire and pre-dating the pyramids of Egypt, the ‘henge‘ itself was constructed first. A henge is formed in the shape of a circular ditch and bank with a single entrance in the north-east section, but millennia of erosion and weathering means that tourists today may not notice it.

However, thanks to GeoEye who have kindly provided Heritage Key with a high resolution map of the Stonehenge area, we can see the outline of the circular bank around Stonehenge, as well as being able to see the surrounding area of this mystical site. Archaeologists and researchers (as well as druids) have debated what the original purpose of Stonehenge was, although no firm answers have arisen. Today, Stonehenge is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a tourism hotspot and a place of significant place of spiritualism for the modern day Druids. (You can watch a video with a Druid priest simply by clicking here!)

Can you spot any famous sites in the map below? The following landmarks are all in there:

Perhaps the easiest to locate would be Stonehenge itself – the monolithic stones which have been standing for over 70 generations are one of the most recognisable iconic ancient sites in the world. The first stones at the site are believed to have been placed in 2500BC, although there is no evidence of how the stones were moved and placed, although some believe they may have been moved from Bluestonehenge. About 75 metres from Stonehenge is the Heelstone, a solitary sarsen stone located near the A344 main road.

Satellite Image:Stonehenge, Wiltshire, England

Also on the map are the Normanton Down Barrows is a bronze age cemetery panning across the south of Stonehenge and The Avenue, which is a 3 kilometre long pathway aligned with the solar patterns of the summer solstice.

New Satellite Images Coming Each Week

This post is part of a weekly series that is showcasing high resolution satellite photography of Ancient World sites from across the globe, courtesy of GeoEye! Be sure to check back each week to see which Heritage site we cover next.

You can catch up on our previous sites that we’ve covered at Heritage Key:

Although not shown on the map, at the other end of The Avenue is Bluestonehenge. Also know as Bluehenge and dubbed “Stonehenge’s little sister”, it is another stone circle composed of giant Welsh bluestones, and near the River Avon, little over a mile away the more famous counterpart. Discovered during summer 2009, the results of the excavations could change our view on Stonehenge’s history when they’re published next year.

Bush Barrow is an important site of the Stonehenge area, as it contained many archaeological finds including a male skeleton, bronze rivets and gold artefacts. Two miles northeast of Stonehenge are the Durrington Walls, which was the site of a Neolithic village. An Iron age hillfort near Amesbury called Vespasian’s Camp which has a somewhat unusual shape, appearing from above to be an arrowhead. Robin Hood’s Ball, which is unrelated to the Sherwood Forest legend, is a single causewayed enclosure between two ditches.

You can read more about Stonehenge and Britain’s other henges here at Heritage Key, as well as being able to follow them in our Google Map and you will soon also be able to visit Stonehenge Virtual! Click here for more exciting details!

The Satellite Image is courtesy of GeoEye.

Sandro Vannini’s Photography – The Ritual Beds of King Tutankhamun

The Ammut Bed was one of three discovered inside the Tomb of King Tut (KV62). Click the image to skip to the slideshow.Three ritual beds were found inside the Tomb of King Tutankhamun (KV62), made up of four pieces of gilded wood and bound together with hooks and staples. Assembly instructions were painted on the beds in black paint, with each bed representing a different animal deity. The ritual beds are on display at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, where Dr JaniceKamrin explains the purpose and history behind them in a video for Heritage Key (You can watch that video by clicking here).

Each bed was photographed by the renown Egyptology photographer Sandro Vannini, of which the images are brought to the internet by Heritage Key. The three beds are thought to have played a significant role in the mummification of King Tutankhamun (watch a fantastic video on mummification with Dr Zahi Hawass here) although it should be noted that King Tut would never have slept on the beds. The first bed features lion deities, whereas the second bed’s animal iconography features a beast representing a mixture of a lion, crocodile and hippopotamus. The third bed features an animal deity in the form of a cow.

‘The Ritual Beds’ slideshow

Working with Sandro Vannini, Heritage Key is bringing images from the extensive catalogue of Egyptian antiquity collection of the Cairo Museum to the online community. These stunning photographs of these beautiful artefacts are sure to impress anybody interested in Egyptology! Click any of the thumbnail images below to open the slideshow of the Ritual Beds of King Tutankhamun.

See it for yourself in King Tut Virtual

But it doesn’t end there, because you can also view a 3D digital replication of the Ritual Beds inside the Tomb of King Tutankhamun in Heritage Key VX – the online, virtual experience. It’s very easy to sign up for a free account, and before you know it, you’ll be exploring the Valley of the Kings and searching for the beautiful treasures of King Tutankhamun’s Tomb!

Sandro Vannini’s Photography

Attention for detail and skills gathered over the years in photography gives Sandro Vannini the necessary experience to capture the intricate details of King Tut’s Ritual Beds. Of course, the equipment Sandro uses plays a role too, and he comes well prepared with a Hasselblad ELD Ixpress 528C camera.

So for those of you who cant make the trip to see the Cosmetic Jar, Heritage Key offers these stunning photographs by Sandro Vannini which capture the beauty and magnificence of the Ritual Beds from the Tomb of King Tutankhamun. But it doesnt stop there: you can visit virtual replicas of Tutankhamun treasures in the Heritage Key VX King Tut exhibition, which features a digital recreation of many breath-taking artefacts from KV62.

Don’t miss out on new treasures!

This post is part of a series focussing on amazing photographs from ancient Egypt. Keep checking back as well keep adding new images by Sandro Vannini. To make sure you don’t miss out on any of the updates, simply subscribe by email to receive notifications when new images are uploaded. For the more digitally advanced, there’s also an RSS feed with updates available.

See More Amazing Photography by Sandro

Have a look at some of the other stunning photographs by Sandro Vannini here at Heritage Key:

Ask Sandro

We’ll be sitting down with our favourite photographer for an extended chat soon, so if you have any questions for Sandro we’ll send the answers straight to you!

Tutankhamun’s Ritual Beds

Made in the image of the lion deity Menhit with the two heads of the animal rising at the ends of the bed, the first bed is sculpted in gilded and gessoed wood, with clear glass used for the eyes and blue glass for the tear falling from the eye as well as the nose. The footboard of the bed is ornately patterned with alternating djed and tjet symbols, the marks of Osiris and his sister-wife Isis respectively. The Ancient Egyptians believed the sun rose between the heads of two lions suggesting that the symbolism behind the way the bed has been made may lie in reincarnation.

The two flanks of the second bed are sculpted in the shape of Ammut, a fearsome composite creature made from a hippopotamus, lion and crocodile. Ammut played a vital role in the weighing of the heart ceremony from the Book of the Dead, devouring the hearts of evildoers when the heart outweighed the feather. The teeth and tongue (which is stained red) are made from ivory, in contrast to the golden gilded head, and certainly gives a ferocious demeanour. Again, the footboard of the bed adorns the djed and tjet symbols, representing Osiris and Iris.

The cow goddess Mehit-Weret stands tall on the third bed, with the sun disc held between her horns. As the goddess of creation and the floods, two concepts which lay at the heart of Ancient Egyptian beliefs, her skin represents the starry sky with its patchwork appearance owing to trefoils of blue paste. She is also connected to rebirth and resurrection, thanks to her eyes, which are shaped like wedjats, the eyes of Horus.

Interestingly most experts believe the name for this last bed is actually confused with the first bed with the lion deity. The bed with the cow deity is named ‘Menhit’, the traditional name for a lion deity, whereas the lion bed is inscribed ‘Mehit-Weret’, the traditional name for the cow depicted in this piece. Most Egyptologists simply call this the ‘Mehit-Weret’ bed.

HD Video: Animal Iconography of Tutankhamun’s Burial Treasures

(Read the transcript on the video page)

You can look at the Heritage Keys video page for all our videos to date and see more archaeologists working in Ancient Egypt. Additionally, you can find out more about Ancient Egypt here at Heritage Key, and if you want to do some discovery of your own, you can explore KV62 – King Tutankhamun’s tomb – in 3D in our exciting virtual experience! Also be sure to keep up to date on all new postings about Sandro’s photography from Egypt by subscribing to our feed, simply by entering your email address above.

Sandro Vannini’s Photography – Tomb of Seti I (KV17): The Crypt’s Side Chamber

In 2008, an archaeological team found that the Tomb of Seti I (KV17) was in fact larger than originally thought. Where the original discoverer,Giovanni Battista Belzoni had found the tomb to be 100 metres long when he entered in 1817, recent archaeological excavations overseen by the Supreme Council of Antiquities’ Director Dr Zahi Hawass (You can meet Sandro and Dr Hawass at the British Museum tonight, or meet Dr Zahi at his London book signing on Thursday) have uncovered a mysterious tunnel leading from the Crypt which further extends the tomb by another 36 metres at least (Watch a video with Dr Hawass on the mysterious tunnel in the Tomb of Seti I).

But a smaller room is adjacent to the left of the burial chamber, which like the rest of KV17, is adorned with beautiful tomb paintings which the Tomb of Seti I is famous for. The Pharaoh oversaw the artistic peak of the Ancient Egyptian era, and it is therefore fitting for his tomb in the Valley of the Kings to contain some of the finest and diverse works of art.

Several intense excavations in KV17 during the 1950s and 1960s caused structural damage in the tomb which led to the closure of the tomb to the general public, and protective conservation measures being put in place. So while we may not be able to go down and explore one of the finest examples of Ancient Egyptian art, the renown Egyptology photographer Sandro Vannini has taken his lens down into the tomb and emerged with several beautiful images which Heritage Key brings to the internet.

The mysterious tunnel at the end of the burial crypt in KV17 has reignited the interest in the Tomb of Seti I, as excavations continue to see what is at the end of the corridor. Heritage Key’s video interview which you can watch below, shows Dr Zahi Hawass explaining the latest on the dig inside KV17, and what he thinks may lie at the end of the mysterious tunnel. The side chamber (one of the five side chambers in this tomb) in which Sandro’s photographs were taken is located to the left of the burial chamber, in a room which has two columns.

Sandro Vannini’s Photography

Several of Egypt’s fascinating tombs have been photographed by the skilled archaeology photographer Sandro Vannini, who has spent over a decade taking stunning photography of some of the most famous artefacts and tombs in history, such as the elusive Golden Mask of King Tutankhamun. Using his Hasselblad ELD Ixpress 528C, Sandro took these photographs of the amazing wall paintings in Tomb KV17’s burial chamber of King Seti I and even though the tomb has now been closed to the public, we can still enjoy the magnificence of the Tomb of Seti I through Sandro’s lens.

Don’t miss out on new treasures!

This post is part of a series focussing on amazing photographs from ancient Egypt. Keep checking back as well keep adding new images by Sandro Vannini. To make sure you don’t miss out on any of the updates, simply subscribe by email to receive notifications when new images are uploaded. For the more digitally advanced, there’s also an RSS feed with updates available.

See More Amazing Photography by Sandro

Have a look at some of the other stunning photographs by Sandro Vannini here at Heritage Key:

Sandro and the Lost Tombs of Thebes

If you love these photographs of the Tomb of Seti I by Sandro Vannini, then you’ll love his captures of the Theban Tombs in his new book with Dr Zahi Hawass – “The Lost Tombs of Thebes:Life in Paradise“. Click here to watch our Heritage Key video on the Theban Tombs, featuring Dr Hawass and Dr Janice Kamrin, as well as reading Sandro’s account on shooting the Lost Tombs.

The Crypt’s Side Chamber of the Tomb of Seti I (KV17)

The Book of the Dead was one of the most popular funerary scriptures amongst the New Kingdom Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt, with several adopting to have it portrayed within their tombs. The scripture itself acts as a guide to help the spirit of the deceased Pharaoh reach the afterlife safely, and covers the ritual of the weighing of the heart. The heart of the King would have remained inside the mummified corpse for preparation of this stage of the ceremony, as it is weighed to decide if the sins of the heart outweigh the goodness of the feather. Should the feather be heavier, than the Pharaoh will enter the afterlife, as the mummy figures in Sandro’s photograph represent “those who are in peace”.

The scenes shown on the tomb walls in this room however, come from the Amduat, meaning “that which is in the Netherworld”. Also known as the Book of the Secret Chamber, it describes the journey of the sun god Re and his ventures through the twelve hours of the night, or the Twelve Divisions. The ram-headed sun god is is often shown inside a shrine and is typically accompanied by an entourage of divinities. These include Sia (the god of mind and thought), the opener of the ways Wepwawet, Kherepwia who captains the boat and Horus Hekenu who pilots it, and Nehes – the destroyer god who protects the boat from enemies.

The corpse of Re is shown inside a five-headed snake in this side chamber, which is a scene taken from the sixth hour of the Book of Amduat.Having crossed the waters of the Nun which have existed since the dawn of time and were pivitol in the creation of the world, the sun god is united with Osiris in this scene, and as a result, gains the needed energy to be reborn and continue the journey.

The Book of Amduat portrays a vision of the Ancient Egyptian’s land of the beyond through words on beautifully woven tapestries and tomb wall paintings. This Book of the Secret Chamber laid the foundation for many Netherworld scriptures that would be written in subsequent dynasties.

HDVideo: Dr Zahi Hawass and the Mysterious Tunnel in the Tomb ofSeti I (KV17)

Over the past couple of years, Dr Zahi Hawass has been overseeing a team excavating in the Tomb of Seti I, exploring a mysterious tunnel which was found in the burial chamber. The purpose behind the tunnel and what it leads to is unknown, but Dr Hawass shares what he believes could be at the end of the tunnel and updates the progress on the excavation inside KV17.

You can see the transcript of the movie over on our Video Page, as well as seeing other fascinating films from the Valley of the Kings shot by Sandro in our weekly series. Additionally, you can find out more about Ancient Egypt on Heritage Key, as well as being able to explore the Valley of the Kings and the fascinating KV62 – King Tutankhamun’s tomb – in 3D in our exciting virtual experience! Also be sure to keep up to date on all new postings about Sandro’s photography from Egypt by subscribing to our feed, simply by entering your email address above.

Sandro Vannini’s Photography – The Canopic Chest

The Canopic Chest of King Tutankhamun, on display at the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. Image Credit - Sandro Vannini.The Canopic Chest of King Tut was recently featured in a video with Dr Janice Kamrin, as she walks around the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, and explains what this beautiful artefact would have been used for (Skip to the video by clicking here). As one of the treasures of the Cairo Museum, it was photographed in stunning detail by the established Egyptology photographer Sandro Vannini, and the images are bought to the Internet by Heritage Key.

Discovered in the Tomb of King Tutankhamun (KV62), it is one of several Egyptian alabaster artefacts that were found by famed explorer Howard Carter. Funded on his expeditions in theValley of the Kings by Lord Carnarvon, Carter stumbled upon the entrance of KV62 and would go on to excavate one of the greatest archaeological discoveries in history.

‘Canopic Chest’ Slideshow

Heritage Key is working with Sandro and bringing his extensive catalogue of beautiful photography of Egyptian antiquities onto the world wide web, which we’re sure will fascinate even the most hardcore Egyptologist! To watch a slideshow of the Canopic Chest, simply click any of the thumbnails below.

See it for yourself in King Tut Virtual

But it doesn’t stop there, as you can also visit King Tut Virtual and see digital recreations of many of the famous artefacts from KV62, walk through the Valley of the Kings, explore the banks of the River Nile in Ancient Egyptian times and even see more of Sandro Vannini’s photography in the virtual gallery.

Sandro Vannini’s Photography

Over a decade of experience in photographing the magnificent artefacts and tombs of Egypt has honed the skills of Sandro, and given him the experience required to capture the beautiful details of the Canopic Chest. The equipment used to take the amazing photographs is obviously important too, and Sandro used a Hasselblad ELD Ixpress 528C camera to take these images. You can also see more of Sandro’s fantastic photography in his new book with the Director of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Dr Zahi Hawass, “The Lost Tombs of Thebes:Life in Paradise” as well as reading about Sandro’s experiences of shooting the photographs in Thebes on Heritage Key, and watching the video about the Lost Tombs of Thebes featuring Dr Zahi Hawass and Dr Janice Kamrin. Sandro will at the British Museum, London together with Dr. Zahi Hawass on December 8th to promote the new art photography book ‘A Secret Voyage’!

Don’t miss out on new treasures!

This post is part of a series focussing on amazing photographs from ancient Egypt. Keep checking back as well keep adding new images by Sandro Vannini. To make sure you don’t miss out on any of the updates, simply subscribe by email to receive notifications when new images are uploaded. For the more digitally advanced, there’s also an RSS feed with updates available.

See More Amazing Photography by Sandro

Have a look at some of the other stunning photographs by Sandro Vannini here at Heritage Key:

Ask Sandro

We’ll be sitting down with our favourite photographer for an extended chat soon, so if you have any questions for Sandro we’ll send the answers straight to you!

But for those of you who cant make the trip to the Cairo Museum to see the Canopic Chest, Heritage Key offers these stunning photographs by Sandro Vannini which capture the stunning Canopic Chest from the Tomb of King Tutankhamun. But there’s more: you can visit virtual replicas of Tutankhamun treasures in the Heritage Key VX King Tut exhibition, which features a virtual replica of many other breath-taking artefacts such as the Golden Mask of King Tutankhamun.

The Canopic Chest

The Canopic Chest was used as part of the mummification process (You can learn more about mummification by watching this video with Dr Zahi Hawass) whereby vital organs would be removed from the deceased and placed for preservation in the Canopic Jar.The vital organs (known as viscera) were seperately stored inside four jars – the liver, stomach, intestines and lungs each being prepared for the afterlife.

The Ancient Egyptians considered the heart to be the person’s soul, and it was therefore left inside the body so in the afterlife it could be weighed against the Feather of Ma’at, as described in the Book of the Dead. Overseen by the god Anubis, if the heart was heavier from sins than the feather, it was be devoured by the beast Ammit, and the soul would forever be gone. A heart lighter than the feather would successfully pass onto the afterlife.

When it was discovered, the Canopic Shrine had no bottom to it, but instead contained the Canopic Chest, carved from a single block of calcite. The interior of the chest has markings to divide the space into four sections – one for each jar – and has hollow grooves carved into the base.

The shape of the Canopic Shrine, when complete with its lid, reflects the same shape of the Outer Shrine and canopy. Each corner of the shrine is also carved with the same four protecting goddesses who also appear on the Canopic Chest that it was housed within.

The facial features of the human headed stoppers are not thought to match the face of King Tutankhamun, and it’s possible that the Canopic Chest was never originally intended for the Boy King. Some archaeologists have hypothesised that it was actually created for Tut’s predecessor Ankhkheperure, although it is unclear how it ended up in KV62.

HDVideo:Tutankhamun’s Burial Treasures: The Canopic Shrine, Chest and Jars

(Read the transcript on the video page)

You can watch more fantastic videos on Heritage Key’s Video Page including Zahi Hawasss insights into the death of King Tut, as well as Kathleen Martinezs hunt for the tomb of Cleopatra. Additionally, you can find out more about Ancient Egypt on Heritage Key, as well as being able to explore the Valley of the Kings and the fascinating KV62 – King Tutankhamun’s tomb – in 3D in our exciting virtual experience! Also be sure to keep up to date on all new postings about Sandro’s photography from Egypt by subscribing to our feed, simply by entering your email address above.

Satellite Image: The Tombs and Monuments at Luxor, Egypt

The stunning culture-rich site of Luxor and Ancient Thebes seen from above thanks to satellite imagery from GeoEye. Click the image to zoom in even closer.Luxor, Egypt is one of the most culturally rich parts of the world and is often described as the “World’s Greatest Open Air Museum” for all the various tombs, temples and monuments in the area. Luxor is close to the site of the ancient city of Thebes, the capital of the New Kingdom and famed for its luxurious standards of living and high social order. The city served as an important trading route, and the base of political power in Egypt which made it a favourable destination for Pharaohs and nobles to be buried in tombs. The vastness of the spread of these necropoleis makes satellite imagery favourable for looking at the site of Luxor, and GeoEye has kindly shared a high resolution map of the area with Heritage Key.

The map shows just how large a scale the tombs of various rulers spread across, and gives an idea of just how important a city Thebes was during the Ancient Egyptian era. Many of these tombs are the subject of a new book “The Lost Tombs of Thebes: Life in Paradise” by Supreme Council of Antiquities director Dr Zahi Hawass with beautiful images by the renown Egyptology photographer Sandro Vannini. You can read Sandro’s accounts on shooting the Theban tombs here at Heritage Key, as well as watching a video on the Theban Tombs with Dr Hawass and Dr Janice Kamrin.

So what can you spot in the below image?The following famous landmarks are all in there:

The Valley of the Kings, which shot to fame in 1922 when an archaeologist by the name of Howard Carter excavated the Tomb of King Tutankhamun, one of the most important finds in archaeology which captured the minds and hearts of the public. There are 63 tombs discovered in the Valley of the Kings, with the most recent being just a few years ago and leaving open some questions as you can watch Dr Hawass explain in this video – The Riddle of KV63. Excavations continue in the Valley of the Kings and you can see the latest discoveries in our video here, and you should definitely watch Dr Hawass’ Search for KV64 in the Valley of the Kings.

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The Valley of the Queens is the lesser known counterpart to the Valley of the Kings, and – as the name suggests – is home of tombs belonging to the Pharaoh’s Queens and children. Many tombs in the Valley of the Queens have been lavishly decorated and over seventy have been discovered so far, such as QV66 – the tomb of Queen Nefertari – which is often described as the Sistine Chapel of Ancient Egypt.

Medinet Habu is an area in the foothills of Thebes which is home to the Temple of Amun and the Temples of Ay and Horemheb, but is synonymous with the Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III. At over 150 metres long, the temple boasts impressive architecture and art, and also contains the chapels of Amenirdis I, Shepenupet II and Nitiqret within its complex.

The Ramesseum is located nearby and built in a similar architectural style; it is the Mortuary Temple of Ramesses II. It is thought that the construction of this temple spanned across 20 years, and is over 200 metres long. Although now ruined, the Temple of Seti I was right next to the Ramesseum.

Deir el-Medina was an Ancient Egyptian village where the workers of tombs in the Valley of the Kings were housed. The site offered archaeologists a fascinating insight into the lives of the artisans who created the famous tombs of Egypt, and gave insight into their daily lives.The village is laid out in a amphitheatrical shape, located just south of the Valley of the Kings.

The Theban Tombs of the Nobles are a collection of tombs belonging to the power brokers and courtiers of Ancient Egypt. Over 400 of these tombs have been found so far, as archaeologists continue excavations in the area. Dr Farouk Gomaa is working with his team at TT34 and searching for the sarcophagus of Montuemhat (Watch his interview with Heritage Key here) while Dr Hourig Sourouzian is excavating the Mortuary Temple of Amenhotep III (Click here to view Dr Sourouzian’s interview with Heritage Key).

The Mortuary Temple of Amenhotep III is famous for it’s Colossi of Memnon – two stone statues of Amenhotep III that tower up 18 metres high at the entrance of the site.

South of Medinet Habu is the Malkata palace complex which was built by Amenhotep III and dedicated to his wife. Home to the Temple of Amun, as well as several palaces, homes and apartments, as well as public halls. Also nearby is the Temple of Isis, known as Deir al-Shalwi.

The Satellite Image is courtesy of GeoEye.

Sandro Vannini’s Photography – Tomb of Seti I (KV17): The Burial Chamber

Seti I’s reign over Egypt is thought to have lasted between 13 to 20 years, and during this time he opened the kingdom up to trade with foreign nations and committed to the development of construction projects. This led to stability which united the country after the fragile rule of the previous Amarna kings. The sheer number and scale of building projects thatSeti I oversaw during his reign would go on to be one of the greatest artistic periods in Egyptian history. One of Seti I’s major accomplishment of the era was the completion of the Great Temple of Abydos, known also as the Temple of Seti as regarded as one of the finest temples built in Egypt.

Perhaps then, it is fitting that Seti I has the longest and deepest tomb that has been discovered to date in the Valley of the Kings. It is one of the few that was completed, and possibly the most impressive in terms of its beautiful wall paintings and intricate planning. The Tomb of Seti I (KV17) was discovered by Giovanni Battista Belzoni in 1817, but due to damage caused by ongoing excavations in the 1950s and 60s, it was closed to the public. Acclaimed Egyptology photographer Sandro Vannini went into the tomb and took several photographs in the various chambers of this stunning tomb. Sandro’s no stranger to capturing stunning tombs, as his new book “The Lost Tombs of Thebes: Life in Paradise” shows (also keep an eye out for the upcoming art book ‘A Secret Voyage’), in which hundreds of his beautiful photographs feature.You can also read Sandro’s own account of taking the Theban tombs photographs in this Heritage Key article, as well as watch the Lost Tombs video with Dr Zahi Hawass and Dr Janice Kamrin. In previous weeks, we’ve concentrated on the First Pillared Room and the Antechamber of the tomb, and this week, we’re looking at the ceiling of the Burial Chamber.

The Burial Chamber is separated into two sections – the front of the chamber consists of a six pillared room, and the rear has a crypt where an empty alabaster sarcophagus was discovered. The burial chamber does not form the end of the tomb though, as a mysterious tunnel leads down from the crypt to the water level – excavations continue in this section of the tomb, and you can watch the progress of it in this fantastic video with Dr Zahi Hawass.

Sandro Vannini’s Photography

Hundreds of amazing tombs across Egypt have been photographed by the skilled archaeology photographer Sandro Vannini, who has spent over a decade taking stunning photography of some of the most famous artefacts and tombs in history, such as the elusive Golden Mask of King Tutankhamun. Armed with his Hasselblad ELD Ixpress 528C, Sandro took these photographs of the beautiful wall paintings in Tomb KV17’s burial chamber of King Seti I and captured the breathtaking ceiling in this room. Although the tomb has now been closed to the public, we can still enjoy the magnificence of the Tomb of Seti I through Sandro’s lens.

Don’t miss out on new treasures!

This post is part of a series focussing on amazing photographs from ancient Egypt. Keep checking back as well keep adding new images by Sandro Vannini. To make sure you don’t miss out on any of the updates, simply subscribe by email to receive notifications when new images are uploaded. For the more digitally advanced, there’s also an RSS feed with updates available.

See More Amazing Photography by Sandro

Have a look at some of the other stunning photographs by Sandro Vannini here at Heritage Key:

Ask Sandro

We’ll be sitting down with our favourite photographer for an extended chat soon, so if you have any questions for Sandro we’ll send the answers straight to you!

The Burial Chamber of the Tomb of Seti I(KV17)

Symbolically, the ceiling of the burial chamber is adorned with astronomical ideologies of the Ancient Egyptian era, bearing constellations and enforcing the strong influence that the night sky had on this civilisation. The interest in, and significance of astronomy is shown in many remnants of Egypt’s past (as well as in other culture’s pasts, such as that of the Mayans) it proved useful in their daily life. By observing the skies, the Egyptians were able to determine the best time to predict the annual flooding of the River Nile, which fertilised the soils, ready to grow crops on. Similarly, by devising a calendar based on these astronomical cycles, they would be able to work out when to harvest the crops.

This importance of astronomy is reflected on the roof of the burial chamber of Tomb of Seti I. The northern sky depicted a group of stars in Ancient Egyptian times which neither set or rose, and circled around the North Pole. The stars were then grouped into clusters, and portrayed with images of the gods. The constellations used were not the same the zodiac signs which we are used to today, which are based on Babylonian and Hellenistic models. You can find out more about Archaeoastronomy in Sean’s short guide.

The “Decans” were of particular significance to the Ancient Egyptians, as they represented thirty-six clusters of stars which would drop below the horizon and rise back up throughout the year.These Decans were listed on various sarcophagi discovered in other tombs, of which eleven are shown on the roof of the KV17 burial chamber.

The high vaulted ceiling of this chamber is the first found of this kind, although the tomb itself was designed with Horenmeb’s tomb as a template. Representing the direction of the sky and hence the gods, the ceiling painting shows the goddess Serket, the godess Tawaret (shown with a crocodile on her back) and the falcon headed god An.

HDVideo: Dr Zahi Hawass and the Mysterious Tunnel in the Tomb ofSeti I (KV17)

One of the most intriguing features of the tomb of Seti I is a long, descending passageway from the burial chamber, which goes down to an undetermined depth. It may be a passageway to mythical waters of the God Nun, or lead to somewhere completely new – Dr Zahi Hawass sheds some light on what may be in at the end of this mysterious tunnel in this fantastic must-see video!

You can see the transcript of the movie over on the Video Page, as well as seeing other fascinating films from the Valley of the Kings shot by Sandro in our weekly series. Additionally, you can find out more about Ancient Egypt on Heritage Key, as well as being able to explore the Valley of the Kings and the fascinating KV62 – King Tutankhamun’s tomb – in 3D in our exciting virtual experience! Also be sure to keep up to date on all new postings about Sandro’s photography from Egypt by subscribing to our feed, simply by entering your email address above.

Satellite Image: The Roman Ruins of Leptis Magna

Leptis Magna, which was opened to the public in 2005, represents some of the finest ruins of the Roman age. London-based professional photographer Herb Schmitz recently visited the area and took some fantastic images, and you should watch Heritage Key’s fascinating video interview with Herb as he shares some of his thoughts on his visit to this Libyan treasure. A view you most certainly don’t get to see very often is the satellite view, looking down onto these impressive Roman remains, and the town that has built nearby it. Thanks to Geoeye who have kindly contributed this amazing high resolution aerial image of the Leptis Magna site laying next to the lush blue ocean of the Mediterranean Sea, we can zoom in close and see this culture-rich area.

Leptis Magna is a hidden treasure that has only just opened up to the world, having recently been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. Several new discoveries have been made here in the past decade, and it’s one of the most prominent Roman sites in the North African region. The site is a personal favourite of the travel writer Ethel Davies, and boasts several key structures that were crucial to Roman society.

So what can you spot in the below image?The following famous landmarks are all in there:

The Arch of Septimius Severus is named after the Roman emperor Septimius Severus who was born in Leptis Magna. He is credited with stabilising the empire after the chaotic 193AD Year of Five Emperors when the ruler changed several times. Although some of the friezes were moved into a nearby museum, many of them remain on the Arch. The Arch is a key landmark of the city, and anybody approaching from the outside would immediately be greeted by it’s architectural splendour. There are several other arches in the area too including the Arch Tiberius, Arch of Trajan, Arch of Anonious Piud and Arch of Marc Aurillus.

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The Hadrianic Baths are one of the oldest structures in Leptis Magna to have been constructed from marble.Only the baths of Carthage were bigger than the Hadrianic Baths, and they were constructed in a somewhat modest, but still stunning, architectural style. The baths are complete with dressing rooms, and multiple pools made for both hot and cold water.

New Satellite Images Coming Each Week

Each week, Heritage Key will be showcasing high resolution satellite photography of Ancient World sites from across the globe, courtesy of GeoEye!

You can see last week’s stunning aerial image of the Pyramids and Sphinx of Giza.

Be sure to check back each week to see which Heritage site we cover next.

Also of interest is the Nymphaeum, which is located just outside the baths. This impressive fountain is located at the end of the Colonnaded Street and is formed of a semi-circular facade supported by columns, flanked with a bowl at the base in which the water collects. As the other end of the Colonnaded Street is the Severan Harbour, protected by a lighthouse.

Adjacent to the baths is the Palaestra, which was a gymnasium area that was often used by wrestlers.The space was a large open court where people could play ball, go running, weight lift or even play dice! They would then proceed to cleanse themselves in the baths.

The Amphitheatre was a Roman institution, and is completed built into the depressed topography of the land. Although located a kilometre outside the city, it had a capacity of 16,000 people and would cater for everything from gladiator events to wild animals.

This handy plan shows all the key sites across Leptis Magna. Image credit - Miklos Kiss.Part of the site contains the Old Forum, which is the site of the Old Basillica and Old Forum Church of Leptis Magna. Many of the remains in this area date from around 0AD, and were temples of the Roman religion; Leptis Magna did not convert to Christianity until later, and new structures were built to account for this, such as the Severan Basilica. There are many temples in Leptis Magna, including the Temple of Liber Pater, the Temple of Rome &Augustus, the Temple of Hercules, Temple of Jupiter Dolichenus and the Temple of Di Augusti.

If you’re stuck for identifying them apart, then have a look at the plan of Leptis Magna on Miklos Kiss’ Flickr photostream, which highlights all the key sites, so you can zoom in on this fantastic high resolution image and pick out all the wonders of Leptis Magna.

The Satellite Image is courtesy of GeoEye.

Sandro Vannini’s Photography – The Cartouche Cosmetic Box

The Cartouche Cosmetic Box, found in the Tomb of King Tutankhamun (KV62). Image Copyright - Sandro Vannini.The Cartouche Cosmetic Box is one of numerous artefacts found inside the Tomb of King Tutankhamun (KV62) by famous Egyptologist Howard Carter. The discovery was made in the sarcophagus itself according to Carter, although it’s possible that the artefact was actually found in between the two outer shrines, as other cosmetic boxes were. At a height of just 16cm and width of 8.8cm, with a depth of 4.3cm, the Cartouche Cosmetic Box bears several symbols intricately carved on it. This beautiful artefact is just one of many of the Treasures of the Cairo Museum, the very museum which Dr Zahi Hawass shows us around (click here to watch the Cairo Museum basement treasures video), and photographed by Sandro Vannini, the renown Egyptology Photographer who’s images of artefacts such as the Golden Mask of Tutankhamun are simply stunning. His photography of these ancient treasures are brought to the internet exclusively by Heritage Key.

‘Cartouche Cosmetic Box’ Slideshow

Working with Sandro Vannini, Heritage Key is bringing images from the extensive catalogue of Egyptian antiquity collection of the Cairo Museum to the world wide web. These stunning photographs of these beautiful artefacts are sure to impress anybody interested in Egyptology! Click any of the thumbnail images below to open the slideshow of the Cartouche Cosmetic Box.

See it for yourself in King Tut Virtual

But that’s not all, because you can also view a 3D digital replication of the Cartouche Cosmetic Box in Heritage Key VX – the online, virtual experience. It’s quick and easy to sign up for a free account, and before you know it, you’ll be exploring the Valley of the Kings and searching for the beautiful treasures of King Tutankhamun’s Tomb!

Sandro Vannini’s Photography

Having spent over a decade in Egypt, Sandro has honed his skills and gained the experience to become one of the top photographers of historical artefacts today. His attention for detail and perfection in lighting makes his images stand out, and using his Hasselblad ELD Ixpress 528C camera, Sandro works with some of the finest equipment available.

Obviously not everyone can make that trip to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo to see the stunning collection of artefacts such as the Cartouche Cosmetic Box. So being able to see such beautiful images of the treasures from Sandro from the comfort of your own chair will stand as the next best thing, alongside being able to see the 3D versions in Heritage Key’s King Tut Virtual exhibition – visit it today and experience the wonders of the virtual world!

Don’t miss out on new treasures!

This post is part of a series focussing on amazing photographs from ancient Egypt. Keep checking back as well keep adding new images by Sandro Vannini. To make sure you don’t miss out on any of the updates, simply subscribe by email to receive notifications when new images are uploaded. For the more digitally advanced, there’s also an RSS feed with updates available.

See More Amazing Photography by Sandro

Have a look at some of the other stunning photographs by Sandro Vannini here at Heritage Key:

Ask Sandro

We’ll be sitting down with our favourite photographer for an extended chat soon, so if you have any questions for Sandro we’ll send the answers straight to you!

Cartouche Cosmetic Box

Like many of the calcite vessels that were found in the Tomb of King Tutankhamun, the Cartouche Cosmetic Box was used to hold unguents, and this particular artefact still had residue inside when it was discovered by Howard Carter. The base is made of silver, which was a more precious metal in the Ancient Egyptian age, and inscribed with hieroglyphics representing “life” (in the form of the ankh) and “dominion”. The box is predominantly gold, and inlaid with coloured glass and carnelian, and takes the shape of two cartouches. Above the box itself are the representations of two ostrich feathers, flanked by sun disks.

There are four cartouches in total – two at the front, and another two on the back. Each is adorned with decorations showingKing Tutankhamun as a child on one side of the box, sat on a basket with his knees bent upwards. The boy king is also holding the crook and flail, similar to the one found on his external trappings, and features the sun disk above his head, draped with the ankh symbol. Shown in blue glass on King Tut’s head is a lock of youth, indicating his young age.

King Tutankhamun is shown on the opposing side wearing a crown typical of Pharaohs of the 18th Dynasty. One of the faces on this side is much darker, possibly indicating a reference to the god Osiris – the god of the Underworld. Osiris is often show with black skin, representing the fertility of the soil of the banks of the River Nile, or with green skin to represent to buoying vegetation.

The sides of the box show the god Heh, who is shown wearing traditional-wear including a broad collar, pleated kilt and a corselet. Holding an ankh symbol and the sign for eternity, together they signify hope for a long reign. The throne name of King Tut – Nebkhaperure – is shown above Heh.

On opening the Cartouche Cosmetic Box, Howard Carter noted it contained a foul-smelling brown power which was the remains of what was most probably a perfumed ointment. It’s proximity to the sarcophagus of King Tutankhamun would suggest that it was used in the rituals of the afterlife.

MOVIE: Cartouche Cosmetic Box on display in King Tut Virtual

King Tut Virtual is one of the greatest discoveries you can make online. Click your mouse to travel across time and place to explore King Tutankhamun’s tomb in the digital, online Valley of the Kings. Zoom-in and get up-close to some of the most amazing artefacts ever found. Walk alongside the Nile and get a taste of life in Ancient Egypt. Invite your friends to join you on this adventure as well as meet people from all over the world in this exciting virtual world. Register for your free account and explore the wonders of the virtual world in King Tut Virtual!