When asked about the Ancient Egyptians, and in particular King Tutankhamun, many will think of iconography like mummies wrapped in bandages, imposing pyramids and talk of curses. In November 1922, British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the sealed tomb of King Tutankhamun and it became an international sensation. When his benefactor Lord Carnarvon died suddenly in April 1923, the press had no trouble in whipping up a sensationalist story of ill fortune and supernatural curses. Carter and his team were thrown into the limelight of hungry gazes tracking their every move, waiting for something to happen. Not only did Carter’s excavation site become one of interest, but also publicized Egyptology as a branch of archaeology often previously overlooked. Frequently the focus has been on the discovery itself rather than the discoverer and how Carter dedicated his life to Egypt that peaked with his career defining excavation in 1922. This article will explore the excavation of King Tutankhamun with focus on the Egyptologist, Howard Carter and his relentless search for the tomb.
Amy Chandler explains.
Howard Carter (seen here squatting), Arthur Callender and a workman. They are looking into the opened shrines enclosing Tutankhamun's sarcophagus.
Howard Carter
Howard Carter’s story is one of a series of coincidences, hard work in the dust and rubble of excavation sites and unwavering conviction that there was more to discover. He was not content until he had seen every inch of the Valley of the Kings and only then would he resign to the fact there was nothing left to discover. Carter’s fascination with Egypt began when he was a child and his family moved from London to Norfolk due to his childhood illness. (1) A family friend, Lady Amherst owned a collection of Ancient Egyptian antiquities, which piqued Carter’s interest. In 1891, at seventeen years old, his artistic talent impressed Lady Amherst and she suggested to the Egypt Exploration Fund that Carter assist an Amherst family friend in an excavation site in Egypt despite having no formal training. He was sent as an artist to copy the decorations of the tomb at the Beni Hasan cemetery of the Middle Kingdom. (1)
During this time he was influential in improving the efficiency of copying the inscriptions and images that covered the tombs. By 1899, he was appointed Inspector of Monuments in upper Egypt at the personal recommendation of the Head of the Antiquities Services, Gaston Maspero. Throughout his work with the Antiquities Services he was praised and seen in high regard for the way he modernized excavation in the area with his use of a systematic grid system and his dedication to the preservation and accessibility to already existing sites. Notably, he oversaw excavations in Thebes and supervised exploration in the Valley of the Kings by the remorseless tomb hunter and American businessman, Theodore Davis who dominated the excavation sites in the valley. In 1902, Carter started his own search in the valley with some success but nothing that was quite like King Tutankhamun’s tomb. His career took a turn in 1903 when a volatile dispute broke out between Egyptian guards and French tourists, referred as the Saqqara Affair, where tourists broke into a cordoned off archaeological site. Carter sided with the Egyptian guards, warranting a complaint from French officials and when Carter refused to apologize he resigned from his position. This incident emphasizes Carter’s dedication, even when faced with confrontation, to the rules set out by the Antiquities Service and the preservation of excavation sites.
For three years he was unemployed and moved back to Luxor where he sold watercolor paintings to tourists. In 1907, Carter was introduced to George Herbert, the fifth earl of Carnarvon (Lord Carnarvon) and they worked together in Egypt excavating a number of minor tombs located in the necropolis of Thebes. They even published a well-received scholarly work, Five Years’ Exploration at Thebes in 1911. (2) Despite the ups and downs of Carter’s career, he was still adamant that there was more to find in the Valley of the Kings, notably the tomb of the boy king. During his employment under Carnarvon, Carter was also a dealer in Egyptian antiquities and made money from commission selling of Carnarvon’s finds to the Metropolitan Museum of New York. (2) After over a decade of searching and working in the area, Carter finally had a breakthrough in 1922.
Excavating in the Valley of the Kings
The Valley of the Kings, located near Luxor, was a major excavation site and by the early 1900s, it was thought that there was nothing left to discover and everything to be found was already in the hands of private collectors, museums and archaeologists. Davis was certain of this fact so much so that he relinquished his excavation permit. He’d been excavating in the area between 1902 to 1914 on the West bank of Luxor until the outbreak of The Great War in 1914. By the end of the war, the political and economic landscape of Europe and the Egypt had changed significantly. In 1919, Egypt underwent a massive political shift with the Egyptian Revolution that saw the replacement of the Pro-British government that had ruled since 1882 with a radical Egyptian government that focused on a strong sense of Nationalism. This political shift also changed the way that British and foreign archaeologists could operate in the area. In particular, the government limited the exportation of artefacts found and asserted the claim on all “things to be discovered.” (3) This meant that everything found in Egyptian territory was the property of Egypt and not of the individual or party that discovered it. Previously, it was a lot easier for artefacts to be exported into the hands of private collectors and sold or worked on the partage system of equally sharing the finds between the party working on the site. All excavations had to be supervised by the Antiquities Services. These regulations only expanded what was already outlined in the 1912 Law of Antiquities No. 14 regarding ownership, expert and permits. (4) Any exceptions or special concessions had to be approved by the Antiquities Services and have the correct permit issued. In many ways, this ‘crack down’ on free use of Egyptian territory pushed back against the British colonial rule and the desire to take back what was rightfully Egyptian and taking pride in Egyptian culture and heritage.
The strict approach towards foreign excavators coupled with Davis’ public decision to relinquish his permit changed the way archaeologists like Carter could operate. Early 1922, Carter and Carnarvon worked a tireless 6 seasons of systematic searching, only to have no success. It was estimated that the workers moved around 200,000 tons of rubble in their search. (2) Carnarvon gave Carter an ultimatum, either he found something in the next season or the funds would be cut. Despite the suggestion that the valley was exhausted and there was nothing left to find, Carter was adamant there was more. A fact only proven true when he discovered several artefacts with Tutankhamun’s royal name. In November 1922, Carter re-evaluated his previous research and ordered for the removal of several huts from the site that were originally used by workers during the excavation of Rameses VI. Below these huts were the steps leading to the sealed tomb of Tutankhamun. In fear of another archaeologist discovering the tomb, Carter ordered the steps to be covered again and sent a telegram to Carnarvon on 6 November. Two weeks later on 23 November work began on excavating and uncovering the tomb. Damage to the door suggested the entrance had been breached previously and badly re-sealed by tomb robbers, but they didn’t get any further than the corridor. It took three days to clear the passage from rubble and quickly redirected electric light off the grid being used in another tomb in the valley for tourists to Carter’s site. (2) Once news broke out, Carter enlisted the help of experts, English archaeologists, American photographers, workers from other sites, linguists and even a chemist from the Egyptian Government’s department for health on advice on preservation. (2) Each object was carefully documented and photographed in a way that differed to the usual practice on excavation sites. They utilized an empty tomb nearby and turned the space into a temporary laboratory for the cataloguing and documentation process of antiquities found.
Public attention
By 30 November, the world knew of Carter and Carnarvon’s discovery. Mass interest and excitement sent many tourists and journalists to flock to the site and see for themselves this marvelous discovery. Carter found his new fame in the limelight to be a “bewildering experience”. (5) As soon as the discovery was announced, the excavation site was met with an “interest so intense and so avid for details” with journalists piling in to interview Carter and Carnarvon. (5) From Carter’s personal journal, it is evident that the fame associated with the discovery wasn’t unwelcome, but more of a shock. Historians have suggested that this surge in fascination was due to boredom with the talk of reparations in Europe following the war and the thrill of watching the excavation unfold. Problems came when individuals looked to exploit or use the excavation to gleam a new angle to further their own gain – whether that be journalists or enthusiasts hoping to boast to their friends back home.
Once news of the discovery made headlines, Carnarvon made an exclusivity deal with The Times to report first-hand details, interviews and photographs. He was paid £5000 and received 75% of all fees for syndicated reports and photographs of the excavation site. (2) This deal disgruntled rival newspapers and journalists who needed to work harder to find new information to report. One rival in particular was keen to cause trouble for Carter. British journalist and Egyptologist Arthur Wiegall was sent by the Daily Express to cover the story. He had a history with Carter that led to his resignation as Regional Inspector General for the Antiquities Service in Egypt between 1905 to 1914. Carter made the Antiquities Services aware of rumors that Wiegall had attempted to illegally sell and export Egyptian artefacts. Arguably, Weigall wanted to experience the excavation site first hand and be the first to report any missteps. He is often referred to as the ringleader for disgruntled journalists that made trouble for Carter, especially when Carnarvon died. Interestingly, Weigall worked with Carnarvon years before Carter in 1909 and helped Carnarvon discover a sarcophagus of a mummified cat – his first success as an excavator. (2) Arguably, there was a jealous undercurrent that only intensified the pressure that Carter was faced with by the press and other Egyptologists. In the weeks after the initial publication by The Times, Carter received what he called a sack full of letters of congratulations, asking for souvenirs, film offers, advice from experts and copyright on the style clothes and best methods of appeasing evil spirits. (5) The offers of money were also high that all suggest that the public were not necessarily interested in Egyptology or the culture and historical significance of the tomb, but the ability to profit and commercialize the discovery.
Furthermore, the growth in tourism to the area was a concern. Previously, tours to visit monuments and tombs in the Valley of the Kings was an efficient and business like affair with strict schedules. This all changed, by the winter all usual schedules and tour guides were disregarded and visitors were drawn like a magnet to Tutankhamun’s tomb and the other usually popular sites were forgotten. From the early hours in the morning, visitors arrived on the back of donkeys, carts and horse drawn cabs. They set up camp for the day or longer on a low wall looking over the tomb to watch the excavation with many reading and knitting waiting for something to happen. Carter and his team even played into the spectacle and were happy to share their findings with visitors. This was especially evident when removing artefacts from the tomb. At first, it was flattering for Carter to be able to share his obvious passion for Egyptology and the discovery. This openness only encouraged problems that became more challenging as time went on. Letters of Introduction began piling up from close friends, friends of friends, diplomats, ministers and departmental officials in Cairo, all wanting a special tour of the tomb and many bluntly demanded admittance in a way which made it unreasonable for Carter to refuse for fear they could damage his career. (5)
The usual rules involved in entering an excavation site were dismissed by the general public and the constant interruption to work was highly unusual. This level of disrespect for boundaries also caused a lot of disgruntlement and criticism from experts and other archaeologists who accused Carter and his team of a “lack of consideration, ill manners, selfishness and boorishness” surrounding safety and removal of artefacts. (5) The site would often receive around 10 parties of visitors, each taking up half an hour of Carter’s time. In his estimation, these short visits took up a quarter of the working season just to appease tourists. These moments of genuine enthusiasm were soon overshadowed by visitors who weren’t particularly interested in archaeology but visited out of curiosity, or as Carter stated, “a desire to visit the tomb because it is the thing to do.” (5) By December, after 10 days of opening the tomb, work on excavating the tomb was brought to a standstill and the tomb was filled with the artefacts, the entrance sealed with a custom made steel door and buried. Carter and his team disappeared from the site for a week and once they returned to the tomb, he placed strict rules including no visitors to the lab. The excavation team built scaffolding around the entrance to aid their work in the burial chamber and this further deterred visitors from standing too close to the site. Artefacts were quickly catalogued and packed after use and many were sent to the museum in Cairo and exhibited while work was still being done. Visitors were urged to visit the museum to view the artefacts on display rather than directly engaging with the tomb. As they solved the issue of crowds, disaster struck enticing journalists back to the site when Lord Carnarvon died in April 1923. Despite Carnarvon’s death, work still continued on the tomb and did not complete until 1932.
Conclusion
Carter’s discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb transformed Egyptology as a branch of archaeology into a spectacle and a commodity rather than genuine interest. Instead of a serious pursuit for knowledge the excavation became a performance and this greatly impacted work. The sensationalist story of an Ancient Egyptian curse that circulated after Carnarvon’s death has also tarnished how the world perceives Egyptology. This has only been compounded further by popular culture and ‘Tutmania’ that often replaces fact. However, Carter’s discovery has brought a sense of pride and nationalism to Egypt. In July 2025, a new museum – Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) - opened in Cairo, located near the Pyramids of Giza, to specifically preserve and display the collection of artefacts from King Tutankhamun’s tomb. (5) It was important that these objects were brought back to Egypt rather than be on loan around the world. Historians and Egyptologists work hard to present and reiterate the facts rather than fuel the stories weaved by popular culture. Without Carter’s discovery, historians wouldn’t have the depth of knowledge that they do now. Despite Carter’s success, he was never recognized for his achievements by the British government. Historians have suggested he was shunned from prominent Egyptology circles because of personal jealousy, prejudice that he received no formal training or his personality. (1) He is now hailed as one of the greatest Egyptologists of the twentieth century and his legacy lives on, even if the field has become tainted by the idea of Ancient Egyptian curses. It is a steep price to pay for knowledge. After the excavation was completed in 1932, Carter retired from field work and continued to live in Luxor in the winter and also stay in his flat in London. (1) As the fascination with the excavation simmered down, he lived a fairly isolated life working as a part-time dealer of antiquities for museums and collectors. He died in his London flat in Albert Court located near the Royal Albert Hall from Hodgkin’s disease in 1939, only nine people attended his funeral. (1) Sadly, some have commented that after dedicating decades to Egyptology Carter lost his spark of curiosity once he discovered Tutankhamun. Presumably this was due to the fact that he knew that there was nothing left to discover and his search was over.
The site has been offering a wide variety of high-quality, free history content since 2012. If you’d like to say ‘thank you’ and help us with site running costs, please consider donating here.
References
1) S. Ingram, ‘Unmasking Howard Carter – the man who found Tutankhamun’, 2022, National Geographic < https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/howard-carter-tomb-tutankhamun# >[accessed 11 September 2025].
2) R. Luckhurst, The Mummy’s Curse: The True History of a Dark Fantasy (Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2012), pp. 3 -7, 11 – 13.
3) E. Colla, Conflicted Antiquities: Egyptology, Egyptomania, Egyptian Modernity (Duke University Press, Durham, 2007), p. 202.
4) A. Stevenson. Scattered Finds: Archaeology, Egyptology and Museums (London, UCL Press, 2019), p. 259.
5) H. Carter. And A. C. Mace, The Discovery of the Tomb of Tutankhamen (Dover, USA, 1977), pp. 141 – 150.
6) G. Haris, ‘More than 160 Tutankhamun treasures have arrived at the Grand Egyptian Museum’, 2025, The art newspaper < https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2025/05/14/over-160-tutankhamun-treasures-have-arrived-at-the-grand-egyptian-museum >[accessed 27 August 2025].
