We had such an amazing day yesterday. It began cold, (for a desert-dweller). My long sleeved shirt and fleece vest, securely zippered, were not sufficient to shield me from the chill. A billboard, visible through the restaurant window, reminded us of the time, the temperature (64F (18C)), and that Incredibles II is due to open June 15th.

By the time the cab got us to the Science Center, the worst of the chill had eased. We entered, dazed and confused, to the cacophony of many children shouting and running around. Several school tour buses had let them off. I hoped they wouldn't scream through the Tutankhamun exhibit, but their destination was elsewhere.

The presentation of the exhibit was extremely well done. The choice of artifacts was much nicer than what was chosen for the 2005 exhibit. I liked the respect for Tut's ka, the emphasis that he out lived the bad press of his day, and because his name is remembered, his Ka lives!

The only bone to pick would be the bad Zawi Hawassisms against Set (aka Seth). One falcon-headed son of Horus was mislabeled as HeruWer, just so he could say Heru-Wer fought against Set. No! Many scenes of Set and Horus (Heru-Wer) working together to bless the pharaoh prove you wrong!

Meanwhile, the jackal-headed son of Horus was right beside the falcon-headed statue:

Qebehsenuef, who protects the intestines (along w/ Serket)

Duamutef, who protects the stomach (along w/ Neith) Grand Egyptian Museum, #102

Set, too, will outlive the bad press of the Greco-Roman and Hawassian times!

Meanwhile, onto remembering the beautiful artifacts.

So much beautiful jewelry winged Khepera pectorals, winged Ra-Harakhty pectorals, beautifully crafted chairs and jewelry boxes....

Inlaid Pectoral Spelling Out the Name of the King - ("Nebkheperra" = Lord of (Full of) the Manifestations of Ra Gold, Semi-Precious stones Height 9cm (3.54 inches), Width 10.5cm (4.13inches) Grand Egyptian Museum #??

Gold Inlaid Falcon Pectoral with Oval Counterpoise and Gold Chain Gold, Red Chalcedony, Glass, Carnelian, Lapis Lazuli Grand Egyptian Museum, #500

Wooden Armchair of Tutankhamun w/ Ebony and Ivory Inlays Wood, Ebony, Ivory, Gold Leaf Height 71.5cm (28.14inches), Width 40.6cm (Nearly 16 inches), Depth 39.1cm (15.39 inches) Grand Egyptian Museum, #378 "The nature scenes on the chair arms' embossed gold panels--bleating ibexes and desert plants--show foreign stylistic influences popular during the 18th Dynasty." (info card) "Six chairs were found in Tutankhamun's tomb. This one, discovered in a pile of other furniture and boxes in the Antechamber, is small and apparently made for a child." Zahi Hawass, Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs (National Geographic 2005), page 185 Inlaid Wooden Cartouche Box Red Wood, Ebony, Ivory, Gold Leaf Length 64cm (25 inches), Width 30.7cm (Roughly 12 inches), Height 33.2cm (Roughly 13 inches) Grand Egyptian Museum, #242 "Many important pieces of jewelry and regalia--including crooks and flails, the symbols of kingship--were found in a marquetry box inside this box."

An amazingly intricate coffinette especially intrigued me:

Coffinette for the viscera of Tutankhamun, Dedicated to Imseti and Isis Gold, carnelian, obsidian, rock crystal and glass Length 39.5 cm (15.55 inches), Width 11cm (4.33 inches), Height 10cm (3.93 inches) Grand Egyptian Museum #?? "The king's viscera were protected by the four sons of Horus, each paired with a canopic goddess. Imseti and Isis guarded the liver". (We can see the hieroglyphs for "Isis" at the top of the center panel.) (Partial capture of info card only, some of our info is from Zahi Hawass, Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs (National Geographic 2005), page 218)

I like this very dynamic pose:

Gilded Wooden Figure of Tutankhamun on a Skiff, Throwing Harpoon Wood, Gesso, Gold Leaf, Bronze Grand Egyptian Museum, #338

A close up of one leg and the skiff details...

One gallery room led nicely to the next, with more spectacular things to see. The final room ended with one of the huge Tutankhamun statues that is match to the restored one at Chicago's Oriental Museum. It is huge.

Colossal Quartsite Statue of Tutankhamun, Usurped by Ay and Horemheb Height 300 cm (118.11 inches), Width 73cm (28.7 inches) Grand Egyptian Museum #2223

The next room opened into a brightly lit area, with the huge mask of Tutankhamun...No! A replica of that mask for 25,000$. Someone will buy it, I'm sure!

Lots of other souvenirs were there to tempt. Julia and I resisted, except to get photos. That was a nice feature. We were photographed against a green screem and later in the shop, we could see ourselves against various back drops. We picked the nicest one and had two printed.

(I tried to correct our bleached out faces ...)

Graciously, the manager of the info desk called a cab for us. Her underling didn't want to, but the manager relented as we had no other way to call the cab. It didn't take long for one to arrive!

We opted to eat lunch at the Thai restaurant we'd eaten at before. This time, green curry with beef and coconut ice cream, which was all delicious.

Then, it was back at "home away from home" and their PBS. I couldn't find an airing of the PBS Newshour, but news from everywhere else: BBC World News, NHK from Japan and DW from Germany kept us informed.

Next, we were happily surprised with the Huell Howser program. It highlights things in LA. Last night they aired a program about Vincent Price and his museum. Howser showed an interview with him from 1989 and one twenty years later, with his daughter. He collected all kinds of art, not just the Meso-American. He was thrilled to be able to inspire and educate the students of the East Los Angeles campus. His only regret is that he wished he would not have been as "budget conscious" in his acquisitions, for he'd let some pieces go, which he would have liked to have had.

Good advice! Budget elsewhere, indulge in the art!

Now, surely the wake-up call is about to happen....