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Tutankhamun: Anatomy of an Excavation
The Howard Carter Archives
Photographs by Harry Burton
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Carter No.: 245

Handlist description: Long fan: ebony stock covered with sheet gold encrusted with glass

Card/Transcription No.: 245-2


245 Continued

carnelian glass, and calcite. The devices on both sides are the prenomen and nomen of the King upon nub-signs flanked with vultures upon nub-signs and which support the crown of Upper (turquoise glass) and Lower (calcite) Egypt. The two cartouches are surmounted by solar disks (calcite), again surmounted with the <>-sign (lapis lazuli glass). The devices are bordered with <> border of turquoise and lapis lazuli glass and calcite. (See photo). The basic wood of this portion of the fan has unfortunately much shrunk, causing the sheet gold to buckle and many of the inlay displaced and fallen. The outer edge is pierced to receive 41 ostrich feathers - from their remains (the feathers decayed and eaten by insects) these ostrich feathers were white and of normal size.

REMARKS: The gold work cleaned with ammonia and water (warmed) finished with alcohol, and afterwards coated with wax - the paraffin wax acting as an adhesive for the various inlay. It will require finishing when in the museum. Some of the ends of the ostrich feathers are still in their sockets - samples of the refuse of the feathers have been kept.

Card no. 245-2 relating to Carter no. 245
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Tutankhamun: Anatomy of an Excavation
Concept & Direction: Jaromir Malek
Web Page & Database Designs: Jonathan Moffett
Scanning & transcript: Sue Hutchison, Elizabeth Miles, Diana Magee, Kent Rawlinson