Overview
- On Nov. 4, 1922, Howard Carter’s team uncovered steps beneath the tomb of Ramesses VI in the Valley of the Kings, leading to Tutankhamun’s largely intact burial.
- Tutankhamun’s tomb yielded more than 5,000 objects, including the 22‑pound solid‑gold death mask and three nested coffins with an inner coffin of solid gold.
- Early access favored expedition backers as Carter brought Lord Carnarvon, Lady Evelyn Herbert and Arthur Callender to view the chambers while Egyptian officials were excluded.
- Media fanned a ‘mummy’s curse’ after coincidental deaths, but a 2002 study found those exposed to the tomb did not die unusually early for their era.
- Nautilus reports the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza opened its main galleries this month with over 5,000 Tut artifacts on display, as debates over past looting and repatriation persist, including evidence Carter removed items and prior returns by the Met.