Restoration of King Tut's coffin on display

The first-ever restoration work on King Tutankhamun's multi-layered sarcophagus has started in Cairo, Egypt. Archaeologists are diligently working to repair the famous artifact, with the restoration expected to take eight months to complete.

The gilded outer layer of the coffin is being protected in a plastic tent during the restoration. The coffin, which is made of wood and covered in gold, is 2.23 meters (7.3 feet) long. It is decorated with a depiction of the young king holding the pharaonic symbols of a crook and flail.

While his coffin is being worked on, King Tutankhamun's mummy is also being examined. The young pharaoh is believed to have ascended the throne when he was 9-years-old, dying around age 18 or 19. Although scientists have been studying his remains for years since the tomb was discovered in 1922, the ruler's death remains a mystery.

An archaeologist restores one of the inner layers of the coffin using a careful touch and a paintbrush. Although Tutankhamun's tomb is one of the most well-preserved Ancient Egyptian burial chambers ever discovered, some artifacts have suffered cracks and other damage in recent years.

The pharaoh's throne — a wooden chair overlaid with gold, precious stones and colored glass — is also being worked on during the restoration. The treasures found in the Valley of the Kings tomb will also be on display in the Grand Egyptian Museum, which is due to open soon.