getty conservation institute

The tomb of Tutankhamun is one of the world's most famous ancient spots. Yet spots are precisely what are causing the decay of its beautiful wall paintings. The US-based Getty Conservation Institute have been drafted in to help mend the murals, but have been finding it an uphill struggle in the face of fierce desert weather and the onslaught of eager tourists.

When visiting King Tutankhamun's tomb - or its virtual counterpart King Tut Virtual - did you ever notice the strange brown spots on the wall paintings? They definitely were not there when Howard Carter discovered KV62 in 1922, and nobody knows what is causing them, not even Dr. Zahi Hawass: "I always see the tomb of King Tut and wonder about those spots, which no scientist has been able to explain." Now the Getty Conservation Institute - specialised in conservation techniques for art and in particular for ancient sites - in cooperation with the SCA will start a five-year conservation project to determine what is causing this damage to the ancient wall paintings.