The Excavation and Discovery of Tutankhamun's Tomb Essay

The pharaoh was undoubtedly the most important terrestrial figure in ancient Egypt and played a significant role in the functioning of Egyptian society. Entrusted with governing the realm of Egypt and providing a link between the Egyptian people and the gods, pharaohs were “an essential element in the maintenance of the position of society in the order of creation”. This idea has been substantiated through the various artefacts located in tombs in the Valley of the Kings, particularly that of Tutankhamun. These finds have shed light on the role and lifestyle of the pharaoh in ancient Egypt. Through the discovery and analysis of these items, historians and archaeologists alike have been able to glean considerable amounts of information in

This book provides an overview of the search for Tutankhamun’s tomb, and details the religious significance of the tomb’s contents. The

The work I chose to analyze was from a wall fragment from the tomb of Ameneemhet and wife Hemet called Mummy Case of Paankhenamun, found in the Art Institute of Chicago. The case of the Mummy Paankhenamun is one of the most exquisite pieces of art produced by the Egyptian people during the time before Christ. This coffin belonged to a man named Paankhenamun, which translates to “He Lives for Amun” (Hornblower & Spawforth 74). Paankhenamun was the doorkeeper of the temple of the god Amun, a position he inherited from his father.

Tutankhamun is one of the most famous and instantly recognisable Pharaohs of the modern world even though he lived and reigned over 3,000 years ago. The boy King was born in the 11th year of his father’s reign in 1345 BCE and died in 1327 BCE at the age of just 17 or 18 after only being in power for 8 years. Until archaeologist Howard Carter discovered his almost fully-intact tomb in the Valley of the Kings in 1922 CE, the pharaoh was almost unheard of due to the common belief that he was a minor ruler, whose reign was of little consequence. However after this discovery and subsequent discoveries due to excavations, analysis of his mummy and other historical evidence, opinions changed, so much so that today Tutankhamun is recognized as an important

On November 4, 1922 Howard Carter discovered King Tutankhamun's tomb in Egypt. Howard Carter spent almost his whole life looking for King Tut’s tomb and when he found it he was over the moon. King Tut’s tomb was very important, it helped us learn more about earlier civilizations, and showed us what king tut's reign was like while he was king.

Tomb 10A was discovered near the Nile River in a region known as Deir el-Bersha (The Secrets of Tomb 10A: Egypt 2000 BC 2009). It is the 4,000 year old resting place of a governor and his wife, both of whom ruled during the 11th or 12th dynasty and are named Djehutynakht. After the tomb was excavated in 1915 by archaeologists from Harvard University and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston (MFA), it was clear that what they had found was a consummate archetype of traditional Egyptian burial practices. One of the many grave goods found in the Djehutynakhts’ tomb was a fleet of 58 wooden model boats, which is the largest collection of model boats ever discovered in an Egyptian burial (Gansicke 2003: 185).

It all began, On Feb. 171923. A crowd of invited archeologists and Egyptian dignitaries, were gathered in the Valley of the Kings. They were there to view the uncovering of King Tutankhamen’s burial chamber. The outer rooms were filled with treasures, Egyptian art, and furnishings. But everyone was more anticipated to view the actual mummy. While the more leading kings and queens treasures had been looted long ago whereas, King Tut’s tomb had practically been untouched. It had only been robbed twice and luckily the robbers only got past the first chamber. Two months after the

Tutankhamun’s tomb is the only royal tomb in Egypt to have escaped the discovery of looters and was discovered by archeologist Howard Carter. The death of Tutankhamun was a sudden tragedy that til this day has yet to be solved. The cause of the famous teenage king’s death has been a long drawn out mystery with a range of theories as to how he met his end. There are no historical records explaining the cause or circumstances of his death, nor is there no positive evidence to suggest how he died. However, there are several theories and many of which have changed over the years.

He finds a interesting scroll with a room that appears useless, a store room he thought. But no, he realized. It is much more than a store room, “The little room in the tomb drawing, the one for the Pharaoh’s master of storehouses. It was no room at all. It was a passage like this disguised so that the workmen could hack it out without knowing…”. Although he did not find the goblet, he found yet another clue.

His tomb was found in a secret spot in the royal burial ground of kings called the Valley of the Kings. King Tutankhamun’s tomb features his coffin which has three layers. Also, in the tomb other objects of value were found. In the innermost one you can find his golden sarcophagus. His sarcophagus along with the other objects were found untouched. It features him holding a crook and flail which were symbols of a king’s right to rule. The coffin is made out of nearly 240 pounds of gold and inlaid with enamel and semiprecious stones. The materials were used to show the theme of importance of power and authority and also wealth. Using these materials in the tombs and by putting other objects representing wealth provided for the ka. Ka is what is left of your soul once you die. The ka makes its way back to your body and lives out eternal life doing regular activities. Gold is a material used to show wealth in modern times and to the kings in Egypt it was used to indicate power, wealth, and authority. When you see gold you associate it with something of importance or someone of importance. When you see King Tut’s sarcophagus the bright gold is the first identifier. This means that the first thing you were supposed to recognize about him was his great wealth, power, and

Both Etruscan and Roman tomb sculpture function to memorialize the departed allowing them to move on from the world of the living and seeks to comfort those who have lost the ones they love. The two societies have differing practices in regards to death and therefore sculptures concerning the subject are somewhat different with a few identifiable similarities. While both societies seek to comfort the living and commemorate the dead this is achieved through different approaches. The Etruscan Sarcophagus with reclining couple from Cerveteri, Italy and the Mummy of Artemidorus from Roman Egypt are two examples of contrasting representations of the dead. When analyzing tomb sculpture one of the main questions is whether the work adapts a retrospective approach (presentation of the deceased as they were in life) or a prospective one (the viewpoint of looking forward to life beyond the grave). While the Etruscan sarcophagus gives a more retrospective memorialization through the depiction of the couple in a state of regularity the Roman Mummy of Artemidorus presents a more prospective approach concerning the deceased through the emphasis of funerary practices.

Tutankhamen, who is also known as King Tutankhamen or King Tut, was a king who ruled in the Egyptian Dynasty for ten years until he was nineteen years old. King Tut’s lineage dates back to Amenhotep II and the son of Akhenaten. Unfortunately, King Tut’s reign of power came to a quick end due to his unforeseen death. There are many myths or rumors associated with the death of King Tut. King Tut’s legacy was lost until a British archaeologist named Howard Carter discovered the young pharaoh’s tomb in 1922. Since the discover of his tomb there has been numerous studies of his body to discover the true reason behind his death.

The shrine of Tutankhamun uncovers the burial customs of the New Kingdom Egyptians. The Canopic Shrine positioned on the east wall of the Treasury holds Tutankhamun's embalmed internal organs. A gold chest held four Canopic jars containing the dead pharaoh's internal organs in each jar. Undoubtedly, through the process of mummification, the embalmers must have removed the internal organs and preserved them in the Canopic jars, perhaps to be taken with the pharaoh to the next world. The third and innermost of three coffins of Tutankhamun is made of solid gold and is inset with semiprecious stones and coloured glass. It is covered with carved decorations and inscriptions inside and outside. It bears the names and epitaph of the deceased king and also protective texts. From this we discover the significance of the importance of the decoration of the mummy was, and the power the coffin was believed to hold. Originally, mummification was so expensive that it was a privilege enjoyed only by the Pharaoh and few nobles. Everybody else was given a simple grave burial in one of the vast cemeteries or "necropolises" of the time. But the promise of eternal life was so appealing that it wasn't long before other classes of Egyptians began signing up for mummification, too.

King Tutankhamun was an Egyptian pharaoh that had an early death. He was born circa 1341 B.C.E. and was the 12th pharaoh of the 18th dynasty (King Tut Biography). His main impact on Egypt was restoring the main polytheistic religion of Ancient Egypt (King Tut Biography). His father, Akhenaten, whose name translates to he who works for Aten, wanted Egypt to become monotheistic (King Tut Biography). He wanted all of Egypt to only worship Aten, instead of the pantheon of gods they had previously worshipped (King Tut Biography). Egyptian society went into chaos and Akhenaton was probably forced to abdicate the throne. (King Tut Biography). When Tutankhamun was born, he was originally called Tutankhaten, meaning living image of Aten, but he eventually changed his name to Tutankhamun, meaning the living image of Amun (Meaning of Akhenaten and King Tut Biography). Converting Egypt to polytheism was the main impact of King Tutankhamen in Egypt.

Upon arriving at the tomb, the stone placed in front of the tomb becomes an issue.