2022 marks the centennial of one of the greatest archaeological finds in modern history – the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun. It was discovered by chance in the world-famous Valley of the Kings on the west bank of the Nile opposite Luxor.
Howard Carter and his patron Lord Carnarvon had been searching for Tutankhamun’s tomb for almost a decade when George Herbert, the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, decided to fund Carter’s work. For five years, there was no significant discovery, but in late September 1922, a young boy stumbled upon a stone step leading to a buried door. Immediately recognizing its significance, Carter began the careful process of excavation.
On November 1st, 1922, and after a few days of intense anticipation, Carter found himself standing in front of a sealed doorway between the tomb’s antechamber and the burial chamber. Soon, Carter found a tiny breach in the doorway, and with Lord Carnarvon standing beside him, asked, “Can you see anything?” to which Carter replied, “Yes, wonderful things.” These videos present some of these “wonderful things” discovered within King Tutankhamun’s tomb.
Beyond the first door, they discovered a long corridor filled with rubble and treasures that had been robbed from previous eras. Beyond the second door was the burial chamber. The unbroken seal confirmed that the king’s body remained undisturbed, despite the tomb having been broken into and robbed several times in antiquity.
On November 26th, Howard Carter peered inside the room through a hole. Lord Carnarvon was standing behind him and asked, “Can you see anything?” to which Carter replied: “Yes, wonderful things.” These videos present some of these “wonderful things” discovered within King Tutankhamun’s antechamber.
Dive deeper into the story of the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb, the treasures it held, and controversies surrounding it in the article ‘King Tut’s Tomb: The Discovery, Treasures and Controversy,’ available in the November-December 2022 issue of Ancient Origins Magazine.
