Tutankhamun mask: Egypt museum staff face trial over botched beard job

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Tutankhamun mask: Egypt museum staff face trial over botched beard job
Tutankhamun mask: Egypt museum staff face trial over botched beard job



Eight Egyptian Museum employees face trial for damaging the iconic Tutankhamun death mask in a botched attempt to glue his beard back on after accidentally knocking it off.

A year-long investigation into the damage has resulted in the eight facing charges of negligence and violating professional standards.

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Reports suggest the mask was initially damaged when it was moved to repair an electrical fault to the display lights on the base.

The accused tried several times to reattach the beard with the wrong glue to cover up the damage, reports the Daily Telegraph.

The BBC reports that they made four attempts to reattach the beard, on the later three attempts also trying to remove evidence of the earlier failed efforts.

According to the Independent, a prosecutor said: "Ignoring all scientific methods of restoration, the suspects tried to conceal their crime by using sharp metal tools to remove parts of the glue that became visible, thus damaging the 3,000-year-old piece without a moment of conscience."

The famous blue and gold mask is 3,000 years old and is one of Cairo's, and Egypt's, biggest tourist attractions.

Tutankhamun mask: Egypt museum staff face trial over botched beard job
Tutankhamun mask: Egypt museum staff face trial over botched beard job



The beard was restored by professionals in Germany last October, and was successfully reattached and put back on public display in December 2015 (top picture).

Tutankhamun's Mask Is Back on Display in All Its Splendor
Tutankhamun's Mask Is Back on Display in All Its Splendor





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