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Lifestyle
Izzy Hawksworth

Giant Tutankhamun Maze Celebrates 100th Anniversary Of Tomb Discovery

Farmer Tom Pearcy cut over 3 miles of pathways into his 15-acre field containing over a million maize plants to create the biggest ever image of Tutankhamun. PHOTO BY LEE MCLEAN/SWNS 

An incredible tribute to Tutankhamun has been created out of maize to celebrate the 100th year anniversary of his tomb being discovered.

Farmer Tom Pearcy cut over 5 kilometers (16404.2 feet) (3 miles) of pathways into a 15-acre field that contains over a million maize plants to create the image.

The maze is of an iconic image of King Tut and at over 100 meters (328 feet) in diameter, the head of the giant figure is bigger than the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Tom created the maze to celebrate it being just over 100 years since Tutankhamun’s tomb was discovered.

It has also been 3,000 years since the Egyptian Pharaoh, who reigned from when he was nine years old until his death, died in around 1324 BC.

The image is at York Maze, in York, North Yorks, England, and is believed to be the biggest maze in Europe and one of the largest in the world.

Tom said he created the image as he has always been fascinated by ancient Egypt and pharaohs.

Farmer Tom Pearcy (R) with George Herbert, 8th Earl of Carnarvon. Pearcy cut over 5 kilometers (16404.2 feet) (3 miles) of pathways into a 15-acre field that contains over a million maize plants to create the image. PHOTO BY LEE MCLEAN/SWNS 

“I have always been fascinated by ancient Egypt and the lives of the pharaohs,” he said.

“King Tutankhamun’s sarcophagus is such an iconic image, it makes a great maize maze which visitors can explore and try to find their way through.

“I have also set a tricky hieroglyphic quiz trail within the maze, a real cornundrum.”

George Herbert, whose great-grandad George Carnarvon entered the tomb 100 years ago with famous egyptologist Howard Carter, was also at the unveiling.

George said his great-grandfather would have been amazed to see the incredible image of Tutankhamun.

He said: “My great-grandfather the 5th Earl of Carnarvon was one of the great explorers and excavators of his time and a talented photographer.

“He would have been amazed, as I am, to see this incredible image of Tutankhamun carved into a field of maize.

“As a photographer my great-grandfather knew the power of an image to tell a story and made sure that when he and Carter entered the tomb photographs of the discovery were captured and sent around the world.

“It is fantastic that 100 years on this amazing image of Tutankhamun will also be sent around the world.”

The Tutankhamun Centenary Maze is open for visitors from July 15 to September 4, which is when the crop will be harvested.

Produced in association with SWNS Talker

Edited by Saba Fatima and Asad Ali

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