A traditional automobile, a tacky brand and a demise masks – the tourism icons it’s essential to see in your lifetime

The Egyptologist Howard Carter discovered the steps to Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922. The hidden chamber contained 5,398 items, including the solid gold coffin, clothing, furniture and jewelry. But none of the other finds caught the imagination of the many millions of visitors drawn to see the treasures – both in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and during several world tours – such as the mask itself. In the imagination of the world, it simply embodies the mysticism of ancient Egypt. It actually took three years from the discovery of the sealed tomb before Carter finally managed to open the stone sarcophagus and the three coffins inside to reveal the life-size mask that lay on top of the mummy.

It consists of thin layers of very pure (at least 18 carat) gold and is inlaid with precious and semi-precious stones – including the quartz eyes and the bright blue lapis lazuli for the eyeliner, beard and the decorative stripes on the headscarf. It is adorned with symbols of royal power – the royal headscarf itself and the cobra and vulture on its forehead, representing its rule over lower and upper power Egypt. And on the shoulders it is inscribed with the hieroglyphs of a protective spell that is supposed to guarantee Tutankhamun’s supremacy over the “kingdom of the dead”.

Ironically, Tutankhamun was a very small figure in the scheme of things, a footnote in the history of ancient Egypt. After the death of his father Akhenaten’s eccentric rule, he enacted some religious and diplomatic reforms, but these were likely initiated by his advisors. After all, he was a boy king who lived from 1332 to 1323 BC. He ruled for only nine years and was only 18 or 19 years old when he died. The cause of death is not certain, but he was in poor health and chronic inbreeding in the royal family (he himself married his half-sister), leaving a cleft palate, club foot, and likely scoliosis. The mask will be the centerpiece of the new Grand Egyptian Museum, which is expected to open next to the pyramids this fall (according to gov.eg).

16. I ♥ T-SHIRTS, New York

You can see them at practically every souvenir stand in every tourist area of ​​a city. The I ♥ T-shirt was customized as a symbol of affection for London, Paris, Sydney and Bangkok and many, many more cities around the world. It’s not surprising that they are so popular. They make an ideal souvenir – something destination specific that heralds your global references when you get home, is easy to pack, and potentially saves you from washing an extra shirt if you continue your trip. However, unlike most souvenirs, the I ♥ logo has some serious credibility in design. The concept behind it was not developed specifically for t-shirts – although, perhaps along with mugs, they are the most popular wearers of the image.