Egypt’s Golden Boy

Time was running out. British archaeologist Howard Carter and his crew had spent years digging in Egypt’s blistering desert heat, searching for the long-lost tomb of an ancient Egyptian boy king—Tutankhamen.

Lord Carnarvon, the English investor funding the project, was ready to give up. He had given Carter a few more months. Carter, however, was convinced he was close. Clues, such as an ancient cup bearing the king’s name, had been found nearby.

Finally, on Nov. 4, 1922, Carter’s team of Egyptian workers made a promising find: They unearthed the first step of a stone staircase leading down to a door.

Time was running out for British archaeologist Howard Carter. He and his crew had spent years digging in Egypt’s blazing desert heat. They were looking for the long-lost tomb of an ancient Egyptian boy king, Tutankhamen.

Lord Carnarvon, the English investor funding the project, was ready to give up. He had given Carter a few more months. But Carter felt he was close. Clues, such as an ancient cup bearing the king’s name, had been found nearby.

Finally, on Nov. 4, 1922, Carter’s team of Egyptian workers made a promising find. They unearthed the first step of a stone staircase leading down to a door.

Carter and his crew couldn’t have imagined what they would see on the other side of that door—or what it would mean for history. Their unbelievable discovery would spark a worldwide fascination with ancient Egypt and turn the young pharaoh, now known as King Tut, into a global celebrity.

“The whole story, to me, is pretty incredible,” says David Silverman, an archaeologist and professor of Egyptology at the University of Pennsylvania. “You had some great excavators who were really interested in finding information during an early stage in Egyptology, so there was an awful lot that still wasn’t known.”

Carter and his crew couldn’t have imagined what they would see on the other side of that door. They also had no idea what it would mean for history. Their unbelievable discovery would spark a worldwide fascination with ancient Egypt. It also turned the young pharaoh, now known as King Tut, into a global celebrity.

“The whole story, to me, is pretty incredible,” says David Silverman, a scientist who studies human history and professor of Egyptology at the University of Pennsylvania. “You had some great excavators who were really interested in finding information during an early stage in Egyptology, so there was an awful lot that still wasn’t known.”

Before the discovery, Tut was a “barely known king,” says Silverman. After all, the ancient Egyptian civilization spanned thousands of years, from about 3100 B.C. to 332 B.C. Tut’s rule lasted only a decade—and later pharaohs largely erased him from public records.

Tut took the throne in 1333 B.C. at just 8 or 9 years old, after the death of his father. At the time, Egyptian life centered on the Nile River, which had become a key trade route and had stimulated a lucrative agricultural economy on its banks.

Tut’s reign ended when the pharaoh mysteriously died at age 19. Experts today still debate the cause of his death. Some suspect Tut was murdered, while others say he was in poor health and likely died from an infection.

Ancient Egyptians, believing in life after death, preserved Tut’s body as a mummy and buried him with items they thought he would need in the afterlife, including robes, sandals, jewelry, board games, furniture, musical instruments, and food.

Carter believed Tut’s tomb lay in the Valley of the Kings, a royal burial ground near the Nile. Dozens of pharaohs had been buried there, and robbers had raided many of their tombs in ancient times. Carter wondered: Had Tut’s tomb been spared?

On Nov. 26, 1922, with Carnarvon by his side, Carter was about to find out. As Carter entered the tomb through a narrow passageway, his hand trembled in the darkness. He held up a candle to peer through a hole he had chipped in a second door.

“Can you see anything?” Carnarvon asked. “Yes,” Carter answered. “Wonderful things.”

The room glittered with gold, and it was piled with golden chariots, jeweled chests, and dazzling statues. It was the only pharaoh’s tomb to be found intact, and no one in modern times had seen anything like it.

Deep inside the tomb, the biggest find of all awaited. Behind the sealed door of Tut’s burial chamber rested a massive stone sarcophagus with three coffins nested inside. The last one, made of solid gold, held Tut’s mummy, which wore a magnificent gold mask.

Before the discovery, Tut was a “barely known king,” says Silverman. After all, the ancient Egyptian civilization spanned thousands of years, from about 3100 B.C. to 332 B.C. Tut’s rule lasted only a decade. Later pharaohs largely erased him from public records.

Tut took the throne in 1333 B.C. at just 8 or 9 years old, after the death of his father. At the time, Egyptian life centered on the Nile River. The river had become a key trade route and had led to a profitable farming economy on its banks.

Tut’s reign ended when the pharaoh mysteriously died at age 19. Experts today still debate the cause of his death. Some suspect Tut was murdered. Others say he was in poor health and likely died from an infection.

Ancient Egyptians believed in life after death. In turn, they preserved Tut’s body as a mummy and buried him with items they thought he would need in the afterlife. These items included robes, sandals, jewelry, board games, furniture, musical instruments, and food.

Carter believed Tut’s tomb lay in the Valley of the Kings, a royal burial ground near the Nile. Dozens of pharaohs had been buried there, and robbers had raided many of their tombs in ancient times. Carter wondered: Had Tut’s tomb been spared?

On Nov. 26, 1922, with Carnarvon by his side, Carter was about to find out. As Carter entered the tomb through a narrow passageway, his hand trembled in the darkness. He held up a candle to look through a hole he had chipped in a second door.

“Can you see anything?” Carnarvon asked. “Yes,” Carter answered. “Wonderful things.”

The room glittered with gold. It was piled with golden chariots, jeweled chests, and dazzling statues. It was the only pharaoh’s tomb to be found intact, and no one in modern times had seen anything like it.

Deep inside the tomb, the biggest find of all awaited. Behind the sealed door of Tut’s burial chamber sat a huge stone coffin. There were three coffins nested inside of it. The last one was made of solid gold. It held Tut’s mummy, which wore a magnificent gold mask.

The find was one of the greatest archaeological discoveries ever, says Bob Brier, an expert on ancient Egypt. “For the first time, the world had an idea of the fantastic treasures that the kings of Egypt took with them to the next world.”

As word got out of the discovery, it made headlines around the globe, and a craze that became known as Tutmania gripped popular culture. In the United States, people went wild for all things associated with Tut and ancient Egypt—from fashion, art, and architecture to film and music. Herbert Hoover, later a U.S. president, even named his dog King Tut.

As the excavation went on, fascination across the globe grew. Tut’s tomb was smaller than those of other pharaohs, but its four rooms overflowed with precious treasures. Carter and a team of Egyptian workers spent the next 10 years carefully cataloguing and removing more than 5,000 artifacts.

The find was one of the greatest discoveries of the human past, says Bob Brier, an expert on ancient Egypt. “For the first time, the world had an idea of the fantastic treasures that the kings of Egypt took with them to the next world.”

As word got out of the discovery, it made headlines around the globe. As a result, a craze that became known as Tutmania gripped popular culture. In the United States, people went wild for all things related to Tut and ancient Egypt. It touched American culture, from fashion, art, and architecture to film and music. Herbert Hoover, later a U.S. president, even named his dog King Tut.

As the dig went on, interest across the globe grew. Tut’s tomb was smaller than those of other pharaohs. Still, its four rooms overflowed with special treasures. Carter and a team of Egyptian workers spent the next 10 years carefully listing and removing more than 5,000 artifacts.

In the years since, some of the objects have been showcased in popular traveling exhibits at museums around the world—including in the U.S. And soon, visitors to Egypt will be able to see nearly all of Tut’s treasures on display together for the first time, in Giza, at the Grand Egyptian Museum, which is expected to open this year.

The discovery of Tut’s tomb not only put ancient Egypt on the map, experts say, but also cemented the civilization’s place in modern history books.

“People realized just how great the Egyptian civilization had been,” says Brier.

In the years since, some of the objects have been showcased in popular traveling exhibits at museums around the world, including in the U.S. Soon, visitors to Egypt will be able to see nearly all of Tut’s treasures on display together for the first time. The Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza is set to open later this year.

Experts say that the discovery of Tut’s tomb put ancient Egypt on the map. It also cemented the civilization’s place in modern history books, they note.

“People realized just how great the Egyptian civilization had been,” says Brier.

The find also encouraged more archaeological work in the Valley of the Kings and beyond—work that continues into the present day. Earlier this year, researchers uncovered artifacts near Cairo, including mummies and statues dating back 2,500 years.

Egyptian officials hope the recent finds and the new museum in Giza will boost tourism, which fell steeply during the Covid-19 pandemic. Tut’s discovery has long been credited with attracting tourists to Egypt and aiding the country’s economy (see “Modern Egypt,” below).

Each year, more than 1 million visitors flock to the Valley of the Kings to explore Tut’s final resting place. That continued interest helps the boy king live on, thousands of years after his death.

The find also encouraged more digs and research in the Valley of the Kings and beyond. This work continues into the present day. Earlier this year, researchers uncovered artifacts near Cairo. The relics included mummies and statues dating back 2,500 years.

Tut’s discovery has long been credited with attracting tourists to Egypt and aiding the country’s economy (see “Modern Egypt”). But local tourism took a hard hit during the Covid-19 pandemic. Egyptian officials hope the recent finds and the new museum in Giza will boost it.

Each year, more than 1 million visitors flock to the Valley of the Kings to explore Tut’s final resting place. That continued interest helps the boy king live on, thousands of years after his death.

With reporting by Rebecca Katzman.

With reporting by Rebecca Katzman.