Tutankhamun’s Treasure Tomb

King Tutankhamun is an Egyptian king from the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom (1570-1050 BC),

He’s also known as Tutankhamen which means the living image of god Amun. He was one of the youngest kings of ancient Egypt as he was only 9 years old when he took Egypt’s throne after the death of his father Akhenaten. He died only ten years later at the age of 19.

He ruled Egypt in a transitory period after his father tried to enforce monotheism by uniting  multi gods in the one god “Aton” the sun god.  His wife was Ankhesenpaaten and was his half-sister from Akhenaten and his queen Nefertiti.

Tutankhamun was made famous when his tomb was discovered in the Valley of the Kings by Briitish archaeologist , Howard Carter at end of 1922 .

A young water boy stumbled on a stone that appeared to be the top of a flight of steps cut into the bedrock . After clearing the debris and starting a slow careful excavation, a sunken staircase was discovered leading to a mud-plastered doorway which carried the royal seals of Tutankhamun

On 16 February 1923, the tomb was opened  for the first time and more than 5,000 items were found which Carter took 10 years to fully document . They included a magical golden face mask, the inner coffin of three Sarcophagus made of 450 pounds of solid gold, a dagger made from a fallen meteorite, archery bow, and a golden chariot.

Carter had been funded by British aristocrat , George Herbert , the 5th Earl of Carnarvon . The discovery made headline news around the world and led to a awakening of interest in Egyptology .

The Tutankhamun treasures are now on display in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.