Tutankhamun’s Tomb
Situated in the middle of Egypt, on the left bank of the Nile,
the Valley of the Kings formed part of the Theban necropolis, where pharaohs were buried between the 16th and 11th centuries BC.
Apart from pharaohs, numerous queens and nobles were also laid
to rest in the rock-cut tombs.
One of the most remarkable discoveries in the history of archaeology, the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, was found by the British archaeologist Howard Carter here. The tomb of Tutankhamun, an Egyptian Pharaoh from the 18th dynasty who died early, was the only intact tomb of a pharaoh to have been discovered.
Antechamber
Annex
second anthropoid coffin (gilded wood)
third (innermost) anthropoid coffin (solid gold)
Tutankhamun’s mummy
golden mask
first (outermost) anthropoid coffin (gilded wood)
Burial chamber
It is decorated with wall paintings and texts from
the Book of the Dead.
The mummy’s tomb
The embalmed body was encased in several nested sarcophagi and coffins.
Entrance
Treasure chamber
Corridor
Tutankhamun’s death
The pharaoh died at a young age, before turning twenty. There are only speculations about the cause of his death. It was believed that he might have been a victim of murder but this has now been excluded. Another suggestion was that Tutankhamun had been hit by a war chariot, wounding his heart, therefore it was removed during mummification. The currently held opinion is that he died from complications of a bone fracture, due to the poor blood supply of the bone tissue, and he also suffered from malaria.
The Pharaoh’s curse
Several months after finding the tomb,
Lord Carnarvon, who covered the cost
of the excavations, died. Soon after his death, several other members of the archeologists’ team died. This gave rise to the legend of
the Pharaoh’s curse: anyone who disturbs
the tomb of the pharaoh would be punished by death. However, Howard Carter himself seemed not to be affected by the curse;
he died in 1937, at the age of 64.
Tutankhamun’s death mask
The pharaoh’s magnificent golden funeral mask is one of the best known works of art in the history of mankind.
vulture (goddess Nekhbet)
golden stripes (the Sun)
lapis lazuli (the blue sky)
portrait of the young pharaoh in solid gold
braided beard
golden collar decorated with inlays in 12 rows
golden hawk’s head clasps
cobra (goddess Wadjet)
quartz and obsidian eyes
Information
Built: early 14th century BC
Location: Valley of the Kings, Egypt
Tutankhamun’s reign: 1332–1323 BC
World Heritage Cultural Site: 1979
Ancient Achievements
17
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Ancient Achievements
16
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