My final post on Flickr as I transition to a new home at www.photo-tractatus.com.
This site will remain up but images are no longer searchable. The mission of the new site will remain intact -- to celebrate Art and Artists with a capital A....
At the beginning of January 1924, the gold shrines surrounding the sarcophagus of Tutankhamun were opened, one after another. The double doors of the first shrine were closed only with sliding bolts of ebony, but the second and third shrines had been secured with elaborately tied ropes that bore clay seals stamped with impressions of the necropolis seal—a crouching jackal over nine bound captives.
Burton's photograph of this uncut seal perfectly conveys the conflicting feelings of archaeological discovery. On the one hand, excitement, even impatience to see what is behind the sealed doors. On the other hand, hesitation and regret at having to cut a rope that someone so carefully tied and sealed more than thirty-three centuries ago.
Simple rope and a clump of clay impressed with seals promised that the treasures within this shrine had remained inviolate since the pharaoh's burial. Once the seal was broken to allow the archaeologists access, only Burton's photograph could evoke its original talismanic power and eloquently testify to the archaeologist's eternal dilemma: as the excavation and tomb clearing reveal things hitherto unseen, it also forever removes them from their undisturbed state.
James Hughes (Lost Parables), Hasan Tayyar BEŞİK, sparrow singing, ImageHUNTER23, and 24 other people added this photo to their favorites.
Shaian 19 months ago
nice!
BlueisCoool 19 months ago
Very nice capture.
jonbrown13 17 months ago
Shame you have stopped posting on Flickr, I find it a useful portal for serving up ideas and images in general, and your collected stream is fasciating. I know Flickr has it's limitations but it works for me, although I do follow other blogs as well. On Flickr Kraftgenie curates a similar art based strand, which I find inspirational...
www.flickr.com/photos/kraftgenie/
I remember queuing for hours to get into the British Museum in the early 70,s to see the Tutankhamen artefacts as a boy!
Photo Tractatus 16 months ago
thanks jonbrown13....honestly I think I burned out....I have stuff I'd like to add but I'm going to save up and upload to my new site....it's just that i'm a little burned out. I REALLY appreciate your comment mate!
Photo Tractatus 16 months ago
btw, yes kraftgenie (gunther) is a friend and I highly recommend!!!! he is carrying the torch :)
tao kitamoto 13 months ago
Let us know when this new site goes up!