# Canonical recap data for Discovery of Tutankhamun's Tomb (1922)
# Source: https://recap.at/1922/tutankhamun-tomb
# Format: YAML 1.2 (UTF-8). Generated at request time.
slug: tutankhamun-tomb
canonicalUrl: "https://recap.at/1922/tutankhamun-tomb"
title: Discovery of Tutankhamun's Tomb
aliases:
- King Tut's tomb
- KV62
- Tutankhamun discovery
- Howard Carter excavation
subtitle: Howard Carter's excavation revealed the best-preserved pharaonic burial and captivated global archaeology.
recapType: global_event
eventStatus: concluded
startDate: 1922-01-01
datePrecision: year
year: 1922
decade: 1920
country:
name: Egypt
slug: egypt
summaryShort: "The tomb of Tutankhamun was discovered in the Valley of the Kings in 1922 by excavators led by the Egyptologist Howard Carter, more than 3,300 years after Tutankhamun's death and burial. Whereas the tombs of most pharaohs were plundered by graverobbers in ancient times, Tutankhamun's tomb was hidden by debris for most "
summaryLong: The tomb of Tutankhamun was discovered in the Valley of the Kings in 1922 by excavators led by the Egyptologist Howard Carter, more than 3,300 years after Tutankhamun's death and burial. Whereas the tombs of most pharaohs were plundered by graverobbers in ancient times, Tutankhamun's tomb was hidden by debris for most of its existence and therefore not extensively robbed. It thus became the only known near-intact royal burial from ancient Egypt.
lede: In November 1922, British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the nearly intact tomb of the teenage pharaoh Tutankhamun in Egypt's Valley of the Kings—the first major royal burial found relatively undisturbed by grave robbers. The find provided an unprecedented window into ancient Egyptian funerary practices and made international headlines at a moment when Egypt was reasserting its independence from British rule.
heroImageUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8e/The_Moment_Carter_Opens_the_Shrine.jpg/1280px-The_Moment_Carter_Opens_the_Shrine.jpg"
heroImageCredit: Wikipedia · "Discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun"
importance: 85
sourceConfidence: 75
keyFacts:
- label: Discovery date
  value: November 4, 1922
- label: Tomb location
  value: Valley of the Kings, Luxor, Egypt
- label: Pharaoh's reign
  value: circa 1332–1323 BCE
- label: Pharaoh's age at death
  value: Approximately 18 years old
- label: Time elapsed since burial
  value: Approximately 3,300 years
- label: Lead excavator
  value: Howard Carter
- label: Funding patron
  value: Lord Carnarvon (George Herbert, 5th Earl)
- label: Estimated artifacts recovered
  value: Over 5,000 objects
timeline:
- date: 1891-01-01
  title: Howard Carter begins Egyptian work
  description: Carter starts his career in Egyptology, initially as a draftsman and painter in Egypt under the employ of the Egyptian Exploration Fund.
- date: 1909-01-01
  title: Carter meets Lord Carnarvon
  description: Carter is hired by the wealthy British aristocrat George Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon, to oversee excavations. Their partnership would fund decades of archaeological work.
- date: 1914-01-01
  title: Systematic search for Tutankhamun begins
  description: Carter and Carnarvon launch a focused excavation campaign in the Valley of the Kings to locate the tomb of the little-known pharaoh Tutankhamun.
- date: 1922-11-04
  title: Tomb entrance discovered
  description: Excavators uncover the first stone step leading to a sealed tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Carter recognizes the royal cartouches of Tutankhamun on the seals.
- date: 1922-11-29
  title: Antechamber officially opened
  description: In the presence of Egyptian officials and witnesses, Carter makes a small opening in the sealed doorway. He peers through and reports seeing 'wonderful things'—gold, statues, and ornate furniture.
- date: 1922-12-01
  title: Official announcement
  description: News of the discovery reaches international press. The Times of London publishes the story, and Tutankhamun becomes a global sensation overnight.
- date: 1923-02-16
  title: Burial chamber unsealed
  description: The sealed inner doorway is opened, revealing the mummy of Tutankhamun within a series of nested coffins and a stone sarcophagus.
- date: 1932-01-01
  title: Excavation concludes
  description: After a decade of careful work documenting and removing artifacts, the Valley of the Kings tomb excavation is completed. Over 5,000 objects have been recovered and cataloged.
sources:
- url: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discovery_of_the_tomb_of_Tutankhamun"
  title: Discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb
  provider: Wikipedia
related: []
impactStatement: The discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922 fundamentally shaped how archaeologists understood ancient Egypt and transformed public fascination with Egyptology into a lasting cultural phenomenon. The find challenged assumptions about pharaonic burial and sparked debates about artifact preservation, colonial archaeology, and national ownership of cultural heritage that persist today.
categories:
- launch
taxonomy:
domain: scientific
eventTypes:
- discovery
canonicalClasses:
- discovery
- creation
impactRadius: global
velocity: sudden
predictability: black_swan
intentionality: planned
domainCoupling: multi_domain
lifecycleClass: birth
metaDescription: Howard Carter's 1922 discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in the Valley of the Kings—nearly 3,300 years after burial.
wikidataQid: Q2533735
archiveSnapshots:
- url: "https://web.archive.org/web/20260520180947/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discovery_of_the_tomb_of_Tutankhamun"
  capturedAt: 2026-05-20
  label: Discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb
  originalUrl: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discovery_of_the_tomb_of_Tutankhamun"
