Tutankhamun was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh who had a brief rule between 1332-1323 BC. Despite this, he is arguably one of the most famous rulers of ancient Egypt. This is largely due to his tomb, discovered in 1922, which contained a large quantity of spectacular burial goods, including a golden funerary mask that became one of the best-known artifacts in the world. Continue reading to find out some fascinating facts about the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb.
Archeologists Mistakenly Believed They Found Tutankhamun’s Tomb a Decade Before
In the early 20th century, American explorer Theodore M. Davis found a number of royal and non-royal tombs in the Valley of Kings and mistakenly concluded that one of them was Tutankhamun’s tomb. This led Davis to claim in 1912 that the Valley of Kings “is now exhausted”, which was a decade before the actual discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb.
Tutankhamun’s Tomb Was Discovered By Accident
Despite Davis’ claims, Egyptologist Howard Carter continued excavations in the Valley of Kings, but without much success. It wasn’t until one member of his expedition stumbled upon a carved stone. He noticed that the stone looked unusual, and after removing it, a passage to the tomb was discovered.
Tutankhamun’s Tomb Was Robbed Twice
Tutankhamun’s tomb is considered the best-preserved tomb in ancient Egypt, as its hidden location prevented the looters from finding it. Still, after examining the tomb, archeologists concluded that it was robbed at least two times. Both lootings likely took place shortly after it was completed, with looters disturbing the tomb’s contents and stealing smaller objects.
There is a Curse Associated With Tutankhamun’s Tomb
Shortly after the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb, a story about its curse started to spread. Lord Carnarvon, who financed the expedition, died mysteriously one year after the tomb was found, while several other members of the team that took part in the excavation died in the following years. Carter himself also claimed that the tomb was cursed, not because he believed in that, but because he wanted to discourage people from disturbing it.