Posted: 1:48 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 22, 2015

Famous King Tut mask damaged

By Cox Media Group National Content Desk

CAIRO— 

    We've all had topull out the super glue to fix a knick knack, but when that broken item is apriceless Ancient Egyptian artifact, the usual repair procedure may not be thebest way to proceed.  

    That is exactlywhat happened in Cairo.

    Back in October,the HuffingtonPost reported, one of the best-known artifacts at the Egyptian Museumin Cairo brokeduring a cleaning.  

    Actually, it wasthe pharonic false beard that snapped off of the burial mask of Tutankhamun,better known as King Tut.  According to FoxNews, there are conflicting reports of whether it was an accident or intentionallyremoved because it was loose.

    Someone thenpulled out the glue, or rather epoxy and tried to repair the more than3,300-year-old golden mask. While epoxy is perfect to attach metal or stonevery quickly, conservators say it is not the correct way to fix the mask. 

    A conservator,speaking to TheAssociated Press on the condition of anonymity, said "Themask should have been taken to the conservation lab but they were in a rush toget it displayed quickly again and used this quick drying, irreversiblematerial."

There is now a gap between the beard and chin that is filledwith the bonding material, InternationalBusiness Times reported.

    To make mattersworse, the adhesive leaked onto the face of the mask and someone useda spatula to remove the residue, scratching the fragile item, TheAssociated Press reported.  

    Tutankhamun's tombis possibly one of the most famous, and complete, Egyptian tomb's discovered. It was opened in 1922 by British archeologist Howard Carter and GeorgeHerbert. 

    Many items fromthe Egyptian Museum’s King Tut exhibit traveled tothe United Statesmultiple times.  Once in the late 70's when the mask was on display incities like New Yorkand most recently from 2005 through 2013.  

    During the2005-2013 exhibitions, the mask did not travel with the other artifacts as itdid in the 70's because the Egyptian government said it was too fragile totravel and would remain in Egypt.