By Brian Boone

In early 1923, British archaeologist Howard Carter entered into the sealed and untouched tomb of King Tutankhamun, a ruler of ancient Egypt. It was one of the most remarkable finds of the modern age, and the world took notice.

Digging for Treasure

After working for close to two decades with Egypt’s Antiquities Service, its archaeological and preservation office, Howard Carter met Lord Carnarvon, a British aristocrat with a keen interest in ancient Egypt. Believing that the Valley of the Kings outside Luxor, a spot where the tombs of ancient pharaohs had been buried — and then frequently razed, ransacked, and plundered over the centuries — still housed the undiscovered and undisturbed tomb of the obscure King Tutankhamun, Carter got a digging license in the late 1910s, and convinced Lord Carnarvon to pay for the expedition and excavation. Five years of searching proved futile, and then, in late 1922, with his funding about to run out, Carter found the steps to Tut’s tomb. He unsealed the doorway in 1923 and walked into the burial chamber of King Tutankhamun. 

King Who?

Across the vast history of ancient Egypt, and its lineage of rulers, Tutankhamun wasn’t all that important. He inherited the throne at the age of nine in 1314 BCE, and he died less than a decade later around the age of 19. He accomplished very little during his reign on account of his immaturity and because he was chronically ill. He literally and virtually became one of the most famous world leaders overnight, such was the impact of the discovery of his tomb by Carter’s team in the 1920s. 

Taking Stock

It was ancient Egyptian custom to bury the dead within 70 days, and according to strict procedure. King Tut’s body was indeed preserved and mummified, and it was found in a set of three nesting coffins that weighed more than a ton collectively. Accordingly, he was surrounded by the treasures that his constituents believed he’d need in his next life, and that’s what Carter discovered and catalogued. Altogether, 5,398 objects were identified, including most famously Tut’s iconically ancient Egyptian gold death mask, a 21-inch-long, 22-pound gold object (with eyes made of obsidian and quartz) with a spell from the Book of the Dead rendered in hieroglyphs on the reverse. Archaeologists found two daggers on the body: one with a gold blade, and the other iron with a handle made of meteorite. A dress mannequin stood near an abundance of clothes — 12 robes, socks, underwear, Tut’s old baby clothes, and dozens of pairs of sandals, including some made of solid gold. 

Other items included gold and ivory board games, (Game of Twenty and Senet), Tut’s throne, six chariots, silver and bronze trumpets, gold rings, a gold plated leopard head, and a statue of Anubis of wood and gold — a mythological dog-like animal that oversaw mummification.

Tut Fever

The discovery of King Tut’s tomb, the most complete ancient Egyptian find ever, made headlines around the world. Carter’s recounting of it all in book form were international bestsellers, and the whole thing inspired lots of pop culture. “Old King Tut,” which could be used to dance the Charleston, became a big hit single, while thick eyeliner and bobbed hair (like on Tut’s death mask) heavily inspired the Flapper fashion of the era. Egyptian Revival architecture became a movement in American movie theaters, many of which went on to show The Mummy, the 1932 horror movie starring Boris Karloff. About a cursed ancient Egyptian mummy, it was inspired by how multiple people associated with the Carter project died within a few years of the uncovering of the tomb.