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Monday marked the 102nd anniversary of the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings on November 4, 1922, one of the most spectacular discoveries in archaeology. On that fateful day, British archaeologist Howard Carter wrote in his diary, “I discovered the first traces of the entrance to the tomb (Tut-ank-Amon),” marking the discovery of the tomb of the Golden King.
Howard Carter had been excavating in the Valley of the Kings for a decade and was no stranger to the challenges of treasure hunting in such an ancient and looted place. Since 1907, he had been working with British nobleman Lord Carnarvon, who financed the excavations in the lands washed by the Nile. However, Lord Carnarvon began to doubt that his investment would yield results. In 1922, when Carter had been excavating in the valley for five years without significant results, Lord Carnarvon pressured him to terminate the work. Lord Carnarvon granted Carter a last season of work in the autumn of that year—his final opportunity.
By a stroke of luck, Carter and his team made an incredible discovery, having begun excavations just three days earlier. A member of their team, a water boy, accidentally stumbled upon a stone that turned out to be the first step of an ancient staircase. Intrigued, Carter ordered to excavate quickly, and gradually, the team unearthed a series of descending steps leading to a sealed door with hieroglyphic inscriptions. These seals indicated that it was a royal tomb, and Carter realized he was facing the find of his life—a historic event.
Despite the anxiety, Carter decided to stop before opening the tomb. He knew he had to wait for the arrival of Lord Carnarvon, who was in England and would want to witness the opening. So Carter ordered to cover the steps again and sent an urgent telegram to Lord Carnarvon, notifying him of the find. The wait lasted almost three weeks, certainly eternal for the archaeologist. Lord Carnarvon finally arrived in Egypt on November 23, accompanied by his daughter, Evelyn Herbert. The next day, Carter and Lord Carnarvon uncovered the staircase again and examined together the threshold of the tomb.
On November 26, Carter made a small opening in the door of the tomb and, with a candle, peered inside to see the interior. When Lord Carnarvon asked him if he saw anything, Carter replied with the phrase that would go down in history: “Yes, I see wonderful things,” he replied. Inside, the archaeologist glimpsed an amazing collection of objects that shone with the reflection of the light: chests, statues, gilded furniture, and other objects destined for the young pharaoh in his journey to the afterlife.
The tomb of King Tutankhamun is globally famous as the only royal tomb in the Valley of the Kings whose contents were discovered intact and relatively complete. On February 16, 1923, Howard Carter became the first person in over 3,000 years to set foot in the chamber containing Tutankhamun’s sarcophagus. The burial chamber was officially opened in mid-February 1923, after Carter and his sponsor, Lord Carnarvon, first contemplated the interior of a burial chamber that had remained closed for over 3,300 years.
Inside the tomb, sealed for over 3,300 years, they found more than 5,400 artifacts, including the ruler’s gold mask, chariots, a bed, jewelry, board games, food remains, and numerous figurines, many in perfect condition. Among the most dazzling items of the 18-year-old pharaoh is the mortuary mask, which exceeds six kilos of gold. They also found a leopard skin mantle, four game boards, six chariots, 30 jars of wine, and 46 bows.
The artifacts in Tutankhamun’s tomb reflect the lifestyle in the royal palace and include items he would have used in daily life, such as clothing, jewelry, cosmetics, incense, furniture, chairs, toys, vessels, weapons, and others. Among the treasures discovered were personal articles and weapons, revealing unknown aspects of his daily life and rituals, including an amazing collection of objects destined for his journey to the afterlife. A total of around 5,000 artifacts were discovered tightly packed inside the tomb, which, despite its immense wealth, was very modest in size and architectural design compared to other tombs in the Valley of the Kings. According to data from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Tutankhamun’s tomb is number 62 in the Valley of the Kings.
In December 1922, the first artifact was removed from the tomb, and cleaning of the antechamber began, which took seven weeks. The classification work extended for years, as it involved more than 5,000 unique pieces. Some of the most fascinating and meticulous moments in the exploration of Tutankhamun’s tomb was the revelation of treasures hidden among the layers of linen that wrapped his mummy. After years of excavation and cataloging the objects found in the burial chambers, Carter and his team faced the last challenge: unrolling the bandages that covered the pharaoh, a process that began in 1925.
With utmost care, the archaeologists and doctors proceeded to remove the layers of linen that had been placed in embalming ceremonies to protect the body in its journey to the afterlife. As they removed each layer, they discovered an impressive variety of jewelry and amulets carefully arranged among the bandages. A total of 143 pieces were hidden alongside the body of the pharaoh. Among them, gold diadems, intricate necklaces, bracelets of various metals and precious stones, and a series of amulets and talismans stood out, all with deep symbolic and religious meaning in ancient Egypt. These objects, besides beautifying the deceased, were believed to possess protective and magical powers that would help the pharaoh in his eternal life.
Some of the most notable findings included the royal diadem, which adorned the head of Tutankhamun and was made of gold, lapis lazuli, and other precious stones. This symbol of royalty identified him as pharaoh even in death. The archaeologists also discovered two daggers, one of iron and the other of gold, placed at the pharaoh’s waist. The iron dagger, forged with a rare material for the time and decorated with intricate motifs, is particularly famous for its composition, as recent studies suggested that this iron may have come from a meteorite.
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