Ceremonial Ostrich Fan of Tutankhamun
This ceremonial fan originally held ostrich feathers. It is made of wood covered with sheets of gold and inlaid with colored glass, turquoise, lapis lazuli, carnelian, and translucent calcite.
The handle is inset with gold bands at intervals. The palm of the fan is decorated with the king’s twin cartouches, which are protected by vultures wearing the White and Red Crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt, respectively.
Several signs are represented: “Was” symbolizing “dominion”; the Shen, symbolizing “eternity”; the “Nebu,” meaning “gold”; and Pet, for “sky.”
From the Tomb of Tutankhamun (KV62), Valley of the Kings, West Thebes. in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo.
The Fans of Tutankhamun:
The fan was a sign of royalty and carried in processions behind the pharaoh to protect him from the sun. Several were also sometimes fixed to the sides of the throne. The position of “His Majesty’s fan bearer” was one of the most sought after positions in the royal court. Moreover, in a country as hot as Egypt, the presence of fans was an utter necessity.
There were two types of fans known in ancient Egypt:
*Private fans: to be held by the person himself.
*Tall ceremonial fans: were made of gilded wood and had ostrich feathers. They were used in courts or wars or in royal processions and religious ceremonies held by fan bearers in order to provide the king with cool breeze.
In the tomb of Tutankhamun we found 8 fans, 7 of them tall ones and one private ostrich feather fan. They were found in between the Burial Chamber, the Annexe and the Treasury.
