King Tutankhamen Tomb Discovery — Archives Photo Gallery

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At the Tomb of Tutankhamen

An account of the opening of the royal Egyptian sepulcher which contained the most remarkable funeral treasures unearthed in historical times.

These photos were originally published in the May 1923 National Geographic magazine.

/1923/05/tut-discovery/img/01-714.jpg /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/60-01.jpg Photograph by Maynard Owen Williams Looking up the Nile from the ferry landing opposite Luxor The area over which these travelers are riding after a visit to the Tombs of the Kings is flooded for more than a mile back during high water.]]> /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/02-714.jpg /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/60-02.jpg Photograph by Maynard Owen Williams The boy who supplied water for the guards at the tomb He is looking down on the small tent and the wooden shelter which even during January and February had to be set up to shelter the armed guard and the workers from the parching sun.]]> /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/03-714.jpg /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/60-03.jpg Photograph by Maynard Owen Williams Looking up the western valley of the Tombs of the Kings Directly in front of this great cliff lies the flinty slope before the tomb of Amenophis III. There are only four tombs in this valley, so far as is now known—those of Amenophis III, the Turbet el-Kurûd, or Tomb of the Apes, which lies in a very retired spot, and two that are without inscriptions.]]> /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/05-714.jpg /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/60-05.jpg Photograph by Ledger Photo Service An effigy of Tutankhamen found in his tomb This life-size wooden dummy, which is believed to have been made in the likeness of the king, was carved out of hard wood, painted and gilded. It was probably used for a manikin, but some students have surmised that it is a portrait-bust of Tutankhamen's wife. The native in the photograph is carrying the figure so that it looks as if it had legs and were walking.]]> /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/06-714.jpg /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/60-06.jpg Photograph by Maynard Owen Williams The Sultana's party before the tomb of Tutankhamen Eastern and Western womanhood, typified by the Sultana of Egypt, who clings to the enshrouding cloak and veil, and Lady Evelyn Herbert (Lord Carnarvon's daughter), wearing a wide straw hat, pay homage to a king whose court must have been as elaborate as that of any modern monarch.]]> /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/07-714.jpg /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/60-07.jpg New York Times/Redux]]> A view of the antechamber of Tutankhamen's tomb The statues are images of the king, guarding the sealed doorway between them. At the right is a large funeral bouquet. In front of it is a casket whose vaulted lid bears paintings depicting lion hunts, the sides being decorated with paintings showing the king in battles against African and Asiatic enemies. The contents consist of the king's raiment. The long box is a linen chest filed with the king's undergarments. Hathor, the cow goddess, supports one of the sides of the royal ceremonial couch.]]> /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/08-714.jpg /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/60-08.jpg New York Times/Redux]]> Some of the objects which Tutankhamen wished to use in the afterworld In the right foreground is the king's stool, made of solid ebony inlaid with ivory and mounted with gold. The feet of the stool represent ducks' heads, and the seat is inlaid to represent an animal skin. In the background is the Typhonic animal, upon which rests a large wooden casket, and underneath it appears the end of the king's throne covered with gold and silver and inlaid with semi-precious stones. Upon the back of the throne is a tableau representing the king and queen under the Aten (sun), the rays being in bas-relief. At the left are parts of four royal chariots. The casket bears the names of Tutankhamen and the cartouche of his queen, Ankhsenamen.]]> /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/09-714.jpg /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/60-09.jpg New York Times/Redux]]> Alabaster vases filled with unguents On each side of these vases are open-work lotus and papyrus devices, that bear the symbols RNPT-HEN, meaning "a hundred thousand years." These devices signify the binding together of the "Two Lands"—that is, Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt. Though in the tomb of King Tutankhamen for 3,300 years, the unguents retain their perfume and become viscous in the sun.]]> /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/10-714.jpg /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/60-10.jpg New York Times/Redux]]> The golden scarab buckle on the royal robe of the new-found pharaoh Finely wrought in silver and gold and inlaid with carnelian, lapis lazuli glass, and turquoise glass, the design of this buckle proclaims the name of the king. The scarab, a member of the dung-beetle family, was much venerated in ancient Egypt, being sacred to the sun-god. Beautifully engraved scarabs were used by the Egyptians as seals.]]> /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/11-714.jpg /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/60-11.jpg New York Times/Redux]]> A trayful of treasures from the tomb Various parts of chariots are recognized and in the end nearest the camera a statue.]]> /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/13-714.jpg /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/60-13.jpg New York Times/Redux]]> One of Tutankhamen's sandals The relic is of gold work laid on leather, which has, for the most part, gone back to dust. The buckle, with its central lotus-flower design flanked by ducks' heads, is of gold inlay of exquisite workmanship.]]> /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/14-714.jpg /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/60-14.jpg Photograph by Maynard Owen Williams The Geographic's staff correspondent emerging from Tutankhamen's tomb On the morning after the official opening of the tomb in the presence of the Queen of the Belgians, Mr. Maynard Owen Williams, together with the press representatives of six British publications, one press association correspondent, and one other American journal, were accorded the first private view of the inner tomb with its as yet unopened sarcophagus. The following day Mr. Williams conveyed in person to Lord Carnarvon the cabled congratulations of the National Geographic Society upon the great archeological find.]]> /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/15-714.jpg /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/60-15.jpg New York Times/Redux]]> One of the life-size statues of King Tutankhamen guarding the doorway of his sepulchral sanctuary The statue is of wood covered with black pitch. The headdress, collaret, armlets, wristbands, dress, mace, and staff are gilded and the sandals are of gold. On the forehead is the royal cobra of inlaid bronze and gold. The eye sockets and eyebrows are of gold, the eyeballs of aragonite, and pupils of obsidian.]]> /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/16-714.jpg /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/60-16.jpg New York Times/Redux]]> The scene of excavation operations in the east valley of the Tombs of the Kings This general view of the site of Lord Carnarvon's excavations shows Tutankhamen's Tomb, two previous excavations made by the discoverers, a guard tent of soldiers, an old tomb used as a dark room, the tomb of Ramses VI, a tomb used for rest and lunch by visitors, a tomb used for the electric power supply, and a watchman's hut.]]> /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/18-714.jpg /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/60-18.jpg Photograph by A.W. Cutler Young Egypt has a well-developed sweet tooth The ancient Egyptians were likewise fond of sweets. One of the most remarkable finds ever made by archeologists was a jar of honey, still liquid and still preserving its characteristic scent after 3,300 years, in the tomb of Yuaa and Thuaa, the parents of Queen Tiyi.]]> /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/19-714.jpg /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/60-19.jpg New York Times/Redux]]> The head of one of the Typhonic animals of the royal couch found in the first chamber of Tutankhamen's tomb It is of carved wood, gilded and painted, the tongue and teeth being of solid ivory. Some archeologists maintain that these couches are of Babylonian origin and were presented to one of Tutankhamen's predecessors. A detail which supports this theory is that the couches are jointed with bronze, as if they had far to travel. No Egyptian craftsmen built furniture in this way.]]> /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/20-714.jpg /1923/05/tut-discovery/img/60-20.jpg New York Times/Redux]]> The secret of the inner chamber of the tomb of Tutankhamen revealed This large structure beyond the opening, believed to contain the mummy of the king, is most elaborately carved and gilded and inlaid with blue faience. Note the serpents at the top and signs of life (or ankhs). A portion of the wall broken down (labeled 28) is left, showing the seals. Behind the shrine at the top can be seen decorations on the walls of the chamber.]]>