102 years ago, one of the all-time greatest archaeological discoveries was made

A member of the team, a water boy, accidentally stumbled upon a stone that turned out to be the first step of an ancient staircase.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF NOVEMBER 5, 2024 18:00

Tutankhamun's sarcophagus. (photo credit: Jaroslav Moravcik. Via Shutterstock)

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.

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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.

The task of documenting and extracting these objects was monumental and lasted almost a decade. Carter's obsessive dedication to the process of preservation and cataloging made the discovery of Tutankhamun the best-preserved archaeological treasure in Egyptian history. The discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb remains one of the most important archaeological discoveries to this day. It made headlines in newspapers around the world and became a global sensation, with tourists flocking to Egypt and false news about the deaths of expedition members shrouding Tutankhamun in a new veil of mystery.

Shortly after the discovery of the tomb, the death of Lord Carnarvon on April 5, 1923, unleashed rumors about a supposed "curse" that would fall upon those who had disturbed the pharaoh's rest. Lord Carnarvon died due to an infection caused by a mosquito bite, which was aggravated by septicemia, and only six of the 26 present at the tomb opening died in the next ten years. The news of Carnarvon's death spread quickly, and several sensationalist media published theories about a "revenge of Tutankhamun," fueled by the inaccurate report that 22 expedition members had died. It was claimed that an inscription inside the tomb warned about a curse, although no proof of its existence was ever found.

After Lord Carnarvon's death, the author of the Sherlock Holmes series, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, became interested in the story and wrote an article about possible causes, amplifying the idea of a curse and defending the hypothesis of supernatural retribution against tomb desecrators. His vision was also supported by novelist Marie Corelli, who published a theory suggesting that certain ancient Egyptian poisons could have been placed in the tomb to punish its intruders. The deaths of other team members, such as Lord Carnarvon's half-brother and archaeologist Arthur Mace, reinforced the narrative of the curse. Although most of these deaths can be explained by natural causes, the legend of Tutankhamun's curse remains alive to this day.

As the process of cataloging the objects found in the tomb advanced, suspicions arose about the possible theft of some pieces. In 1934, philologist and team member Alan Gardiner, who was hired to translate the hieroglyphics, sent Carter a letter accusing him of having gifted him an amulet originating from the tomb, suggesting that the archaeologist had removed objects from the enclosure without permission. This controversy, which severely affected Carter's reputation, was silenced during his life, although rumors continued to circulate in the realm of British archaeology.

Decades later, in October 2022, American Egyptologist Bob Brier published a series of letters in his book "Tutankhamun and the Tomb that Changed the World," revealing new evidence of these accusations. According to Brier, both the Egyptian authorities and the archaeologists of the time suspected that Carter and some of his collaborators had entered the tomb before the official opening and extracted items without registering them. The book details how Carter gifted objects from the tomb to his friend Sir Bruce Ingram, which further fueled the theories of looting.

Carter lived his last years in solitude and died in 1939, at the age of 64, without having received official recognition from the British government, something he considered one of the great disappointments of his life. Ironically, the "curse" associated with Tutankhamun's name and the controversies surrounding him only increased his fame worldwide.

The discovery was so extraordinary that it gave rise to a fever for ancient Egypt in much of the world. A fashion inspired by Egyptian symbols and garments emerged in Europe and America. In Spain, magazines and newspapers reflected this "Egyptomania" in articles, reports, and even in fashion designs and accessories inspired by the young pharaoh. Travel agencies began offering packages to Egypt, including "dances from Tutankhamun's court," and records of Egyptian music were released, boosting tourism further.

The magnitude of the discovery awakened interest worldwide, but access to details was limited from the beginning. This meant that other media received information with much delay, having to resort in many cases to drawings to illustrate their news. In the beliefs of ancient Egypt, the preservation of a name and its constant repetition guaranteed the eternal life of the spirit. Thus, a century after its discovery, the name of Tutankhamun continues alive, repeated and remembered as one of the most enduring symbols of pharaonic culture.

Sources: Infobae, Youm7, Al-Masry Al-Youm

This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq