Tutankhamun's Wardrobe
Written by Dr. G.M. Vogelsang-Eastwood
with illustrations by M. Hense and K. Wilson
Paperback, 116 pp.
ISBN 90-5613-042-0
Year of publication: 1999
Reviews of Tutankhamun's Wardrobe
His superb gold death mask is the most familiar treasure from Tutankhamun's tomb, but few realise the Egyptian pharaoh (1336-1327 BC) was also buried with a while range of clothing - from sumptuous robes and stunning regalia to his baby clothes, a large supply of clean, neatly folded underwear and even several pairs of socks.
Despite their 3,000 year-old creases, Carter immediately realised the significance of this particular find and confidently announced that "it will be of extreme importance to the history of textile art and it needs very careful study".
Sadly, this unique material lay neglected for a full 70 years during which time it suffered irreparable damage. Its importance was realised only in the early 1990s when Yorkshire-born textile historian Dr Gillian Vogelsang-Eastwood began her painstaking study of the young king's wardrobe.
(To read the full review, please click on the name below.)
Even if you're just casually interested in Ancient Egypt/Tutankhamun etc, this book is FASCINATING. It was definitely worth me tracking it down at a museum to get a look at it.
I had no idea so many articles of clothing and textiles from Tutankhamun's Tomb survived (Despite all the bungling by Carter THANKS MAN) and the photographs of them are amazing to look at. They're not all in colour, but many are, and seeing the variety of colours and patterns totally challenges the "Everyone wore white linen all the time" stereotype. They even have the book organized into different categories based on the type of clothing and the decorations on them.
I highly recommend taking a look at this if you can track a copy down, you won't be disappointed.
Kitty
(Goodreads.com)