Tutankhamun's Tomb Discovery

Study Notes

It took Howard Carter three months to locate the sarcophagus after reaching the main entrance of the tomb.
Carter had to clear the antechamber and annex before exploring the burial chamber and revealing the pharaoh's secrets.

The sarcophagus was made of golden-yellow quartz covered by a pink granite lid, and it was placed inside four gilded and inlaid wooden shrines.
The sarcophagus contained a nest of three heavy coffins, with the innermost made of solid gold.
An improvised crane was needed to lift the coffins out of the sarcophagus.

Tutankhamun's mask was made of beaten gold and featured an image of the boy-king's young face, made up as Osiris, King of the Dead.
The mask's eyes were made of yellow quartz with black obsidian for the pupils, giving it an eerily life-like gaze.

Egyptian priests removed the internal organs, including the heart, liver, lungs, and intestines, and preserved them separately in canopic jars.
The body was washed, rubbed with salt, and left to dry for about a month before being rubbed with oils and perfumes, and wrapped in resin-soaked bandages.
The brain was usually removed via the nose and the skull filled with a preservative resin.

Over 50 statues of deities were found in the tomb, including a figure of the jackal god Anubis and a gilded cow's head of the goddess Hathor.
The tomb contained an astonishing range of furniture, pottery, weaponry, and models, including boats for travel in the afterlife.
Daggers, throwing sticks, clubs, boomerangs, and bows and arrows were included for the deceased to defend himself on the journey to the kingdom of the dead.
Shabtis, figurines intended to act as servants to the deceased in the afterlife, were found in the tomb.

Alabaster perfume vessels and many cosmetic items were found in the tomb.
The ancient Egyptians were skilled chemists and inventors and took great care of their appearance, using cosmetics and ointments and dyeing their hair with henna.

The tomb contained over 5,000 items, including grave goods of extraordinary quality.
Boxes and chests found in the tomb were among the finest examples of craftsmanship, with beautifully executed illustrations of the king's life.
Jewelery found in the tomb ranged from simple glass beads to intricate necklaces incorporating complex patterns and semi-precious stones.