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Howard Carter

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description Howard Carter Overview

The discovery of Tutankhamun's nearly intact tomb in Egypt's Valley of the Kings made Howard Carter a central figure in twentieth-century Egyptology. In 1922, the British archaeologist led the team that uncovered the burial, working with Egyptian excavators and with financial support from Lord Carnarvon. The tomb's unusually rich surviving contents offered evidence of royal burial practices during the Eighteenth Dynasty. Carter's contribution extended beyond finding the entrance.

Recording and carefully clearing the tomb required sustained work, with objects documented in relation to their locations and condition. That record remains important because a burial's meaning depends on context as well as the objects it contains. His work is especially relevant to scholars of ancient Egyptian kingship and funerary practice, while the discovery itself interests a wider public studying the young pharaoh. The surviving excavation records also allow attention to the team behind the familiar individual name.

help Howard Carter FAQ

What tomb did Howard Carter discover?

Howard Carter is most famous for discovering the tomb of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun (King Tut) in November 1922. Located in the Valley of the Kings, this tomb was nearly completely intact, containing thousands of artifacts. It remains one of the greatest archaeological finds in history.

Who funded Howard Carter's excavation of King Tut's tomb?

Carter's excavations were primarily financed by Lord Carnarvon, a wealthy British aristocrat with a deep interest in Egyptology. Carnarvon held the digging concession for the Valley of the Kings and hired Carter to lead the meticulous searches. The discovery of the tomb finally justified years of expensive, fruitless digging.

How long did it take Howard Carter to excavate Tutankhamun's tomb?

After discovering the first steps to the tomb in 1922, the clearance and cataloging of the four main chambers took nearly a decade. Carter worked meticulously alongside his team, photographing and preserving thousands of artifacts. The excavation and analysis were not fully concluded until around 1932.

What happened to Howard Carter after he found King Tut's tomb?

Following the exhausting excavation process, Carter spent the rest of his life heavily involved in the academic and touring aspects of his discovery. He never worked on another major excavation, choosing instead to lecture and curate the artifacts. He passed away from Hodgkin's disease in 1939 at the age of 64.