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Picture of the day: Tutankhamun’s gold mask at Egyptian Museum after beard restoration

When the beard fell off the boy pharaoh's funerary mask in August 2014 at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, employees tried to reattach it with glue. When the botched restoration was noticed it made headlines and caused not inconsiderable embarrassment.

Now, the restored mask has been put back in its display case at the Egyptian Museum. In December it was shown to journalists after more than two months' restoration work by a team of German experts. 

From December until 7 January, visitors to the Egyptian Museum in central Cairo were allowed to take pictures with cameras and mobile phones inside the museum without paying additional fees, to attract more visitors to the museum that houses countless treasures from Ancient Egypt, including Tutankhamun's mummy and death mask.

Tutankhamun died aged 19 in 1324 BC after reigning for nine years. His 11-kilo (24.2-pound) solid gold funerary mask is encrusted with lapis lazuli and semi-precious stones.

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