To his people, King Tutankhamen was part human, part divine. His death in 1323 BC signaled the end of an era – the end of Egypt as an imperial power. The circumstances surrounding King Tut’s death remain a mystery. Equally puzzling is the reason why his grave is unusually small. And yet, thanks to Howard Carter’s discovery nearly 3,000 years later, no Pharaoh is more known and loved than King Tut. Inside the mausoleum, Carter discovered glorious treasures that had been lying dormant for thousands of years. For a culture that believed that remembrance was the path to eternal life, the preservation of King Tut’s tomb ensured that his nameless and forgotten enemies failed miserably.
An incredible range of grave goods and the most intact Royal Tombs ever found
Tutankhamen died of unknown causes in 1323 BC at the age of 20. He had no clear successors but the tiny mummies of his two stillborn daughters, possibly twins, were found in his tomb. Due to his sudden and unexpected death, burial was hastily prepared in a somewhat less grand tomb, only 3.68 m or 12.07 feet high, 7.86 m or 25 feet wide. .78 feet and 30.79 m or 101.01 feet long” (History of Embalming, 2016).
For political reasons, the young king was forgotten and his name was never mentioned for the rest of his life, a fate worse than death for the ancient Egyptians. However, through a strange stroke of luck, Tut’s obscurity protected his tomb from grave robbers. Then, “discovered in 1922 by archaeologist Howard Carter, King Tut’s tomb contained an astonishing array of grave goods—more than 5,000 artifacts, many of them in pristine condition. It is the most intact royal tomb ever found, providing Egyptologists with an unprecedented insight into the physical life of a king who reigned in the 14th century BC” (Hessler, 2016 ).
Canopic temple from King Tutankhamun’s tomb. ( seethrumag.org )
Tutankhamun’s throne from his burial chamber. (public domain)
Detail of the golden lion on the ceremonial bed found in the tomb. (CC of SA 3.0)
Golden coffin
It took Howard Carter 10 years to clean and catalog all the riches stored in the tomb. The most spectacular are Tutankhamen’s golden coffin and the plated coffins, including one made of solid gold. Inside this doll-like complex is the mummy of the baby King. His death mask, also made of gold, became a symbol of ancient Egyptian art and is considered one of the greatest works of art of the ancient world. Carter himself, on October 28, 1925, lifted the lid of the heavy coffin to admire a wonder that had not been seen for 3,250 years.
Tutankhamun’s golden coffin. (Asaf Braverman/Flickr)
Howard Carter opens the innermost temple of King Tutankhamen’s tomb near Luxor, Egypt. (Public domain)
In his diary, Carter wrote:
“The cover release pins have been raised. The penultimate scene is revealed – a neatly wrapped mummy of the young king, with a golden mask and a sad but serene expression, symbolizing Osiris. The likeness of the youthful Tut.Ankh.Amen, hitherto known only by name, amid the silence of that grave, made us aware of the past. For this braceleted mummy as he lay in his coffin, he must have been a tall young man – from the top of his headdress to its base it was six feet long. Attached to the neck of the golden mask, beautifully wrought with a childlike expression, are three huge gold and porcelain necklaces, a unique heart-shaped scarab placed between the hands, crossed over the chest , to keep leverage and crooks. Beneath this mask, reaching up to the hand, was a linen covering and outer bandage, tied in place with flexible gold-plated strips vertically and horizontally depending on the very gold-encrusted protective glyph. Nekhbet’s decoration. She has wings spread across her body and a human head.” (Carter, 1925).
Detail of Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s iconic Golden Mask. ( CC BY 2.0 )
Thousands of antiques
In addition to the coffin, the tomb also contains many remarkable miracles. But the treasure was extremely chaotic, perhaps because of the Pharaoh’s untimely death, everything was thrown into chaos, seemingly without logic. There are six disassembled chariots and an assortment of weapons, shields and daggers – King Tutankhamen is said to have loved the hunt. There is also a lot of furniture, much of it gilded: two royal thrones, benches, chairs, ceremonial beds and headrests. There were chests containing priceless jewels and beautiful clothes made of fine linen. There are jars containing rare perfumes, precious oils and ointments. There were elaborate temples to the gods, including one containing Canopic jars containing King Tut’s preserved internal organs. There are musical instruments and writing utensils, lamps, ostrich fans and board games. There was food and about 30 bottles of wine. There are also “139 walking sticks made of ebony, ivory, silver and gold” (History Embalmed, 2016). In short, everything a young king might need in his afterlife can be found around his body and sealed forever in the tomb. Outside it all is a life-sized, gilded statue of the god Anubis, said to be lord of the underworld and protector of the dead.
Just a small selection of the thousands of treasures hastily found inside King Tut’s burial chamber. (public domain)
Canopic jars from Tutankhamun’s tomb. (CC of SA 2.0)
Thanks to this discovery, Tutankhamen is one of the most famous Egyptian kings. His name is mentioned in television shows, movies and video games, from the Three Stooges to Transformers. And thus, despite his enemies, King Tut achieved eternal life.
Recently, Egyptologists re-investigated Tutankhamen’s tomb. Experts believe that his small, seemingly second-rate burial may, in fact, have been a decoy to distract grave robbers from the real prize. “Radar scans on the walls [of Tut’s tomb] not only revealed the presence of secret rooms but also unidentified objects located within these rooms. These objects…appear to be composed of both metal and organic materials” (Hessler, 2016).
The most popular theory? Hidden behind Tut’s tomb may be the long-lost burial chamber of the magnificent Queen Nefertiti.
Top image: Golden treasure found inside Tutankhamun’s tomb. (Say beautiful things)
