Tutankhamun to get replica site

A replica of the tomb of ancient Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun is being created in order to protect the original from the excesses of tourism.

The walls and paintings at the tomb site have been damaged by the thousands of people who have seen the tomb since it was opened by an archaeologist in 1922.

A company will now use 3D computer imaging to build an exact replica of the tomb to try to protect the original site from serious damage, or even collapse.

But anyone wishing to see the original can still do so, at a price, with officials in Egypt charging extra for the privilege.

A similar method has been used at a popular tourist site in France. Each year a quarter of a million people visit a replica of the cave paintings of Lascaux. The replica was built because the humidity created by the sheer volume of tourists led to mould appearing at the site.

Copyright Press Association 201