The discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922 stands as a pivotal moment in archaeological history, not only for the incredible treasures it revealed but also for the accompanying legends and superstitions that captivated the world – particularly the persistent rumor of a “mummy’s curse.” On November 4, 2022, Egyptian workers, laboring to clear sand in the Valley of the Kings, stumbled upon a significant find: a set of stone steps buried approximately 13 feet below the tomb of Ramesses VI. This unexpected discovery would lead to the unlooted tomb of the teenage pharaoh King Tutankhamun, who had died over 3,200 years prior.
The Initial Discovery and Excavation
The excavation team, led by the British archaeologist Howard Carter but largely composed of Egyptian workers, had been methodically clearing sand near temporary worker huts. While the precise role remains debated, some accounts credit a young water boy, Hussein Abd el-Rassul, with initially identifying the staircase. The uncovering of these steps immediately signaled something noteworthy – a potential untouched tomb. The team worked relentlessly, finally reaching the 12th step, where they encountered a small doorway sealed with plaster. Crucially, the plaster displayed the seal of the Royal Necropolis— depicting the jackal-headed god Anubis, symbolizing the afterlife, standing triumphantly over the bodies of nine defeated enemies.
As Carter meticulously recorded in his diary, “Here before us was sufficient evidence to show that it really was an entrance to a tomb, and by the seals, to all outward appearances that it was intact.” Further exploration revealed that the entryway had been deliberately filled with rubble – a measure likely taken by priests intending to protect the tomb and confirm that it hadn’t been previously plundered.
Unraveling the Mystery of the Tomb’s Identity
Initially, the team’s certainty about who lay within the tomb was tempered by confusion. The rubble partially blocking the entrance contained a jumbled collection of pottery shards and broken boxes, bearing markings associated with other ancient Egyptian rulers, including Akhenaten, believed to be Tutankhamun’s father. This unexpected mix complicated the identification process, requiring careful scrutiny and analysis.
The breakthrough came on November 24th, when the team uncovered a seal bearing the cartouche—a distinctive oval inscription featuring hieroglyphs depicting a ruler’s name— belonging to King Tutankhamun. However, the identity of the occupant remained a matter of cautious speculation until the following day.
Peering Inside: The First Glimpse
On November 25th, the team breached the first door leading into the tomb, followed by the opening of a second door on the 26th. To get a preview of the interior, Carter cut a small hole, and through it peered Lord Carnarvon, who had financed the excavation, his daughter Lady Evelyn Herbert, and Arthur Callender, an engineer working on the dig. No Egyptian officials were allowed to witness this momentous occasion.
Carter, in his diary, captured the scene with remarkable vividness: “It was sometime before one could see, the hot air escaping caused the candle to flicker, but as soon as one’s eyes became accustomed to the glimmer of light the interior of the chamber gradually loomed before one, with its strange and wonderful medley of extraordinary and beautiful objects heaped upon one another.”
A Treasure Trove of Ancient Life
King Tut’s tomb proved to be the first unlooted pharaoh’s tomb discovered in the modern era. The tomb was rich with thousands of artifacts—a remarkable snapshot of royal life and beliefs surrounding death in ancient Egypt. Among the most famous discoveries was Tutankhamun’s ornate death mask, a stunning 22-pound (10 kilograms) solid-gold face covering lavishly inlaid with semiprecious stones. Beyond the gold, the tomb contained a wealth of everyday objects, from board games and several beds, to even a mannequin seemingly intended for trying on clothes in the afterlife.
Tutankhamun’s body itself was nestled within three nested coffins—two constructed of gilded wood and the innermost, a miniature marvel of solid gold. His remains were preserved in oil, which imparted a dark hue to his skin prior to the mummification process.
The discovery ignited global fascination with ancient Egypt and gave rise to the enduring legend of the “mummy’s curse”— a supposed supernatural retribution upon those who disturb the resting place of the pharaoh. While the exact origins of this belief are murky, the coincidences and misfortunes that followed several individuals associated with the excavation fueled the myth for decades to come, forever linking the incredible archaeological find with an enigmatic curse. > The discovery of King Tut’s tomb provided unprecedented insight into the opulent world of ancient Egyptian royalty and cemented its place as one of the most significant archaeological events in history
