On this date in history, the tomb of a Pharaoh was discovered in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. It is perhaps the best known archaeological discovery in the history of the world. The entrance of the tomb of the Pharaoh Tutankhamun was discovered and was to reveal many treasures. The tomb was discovered by the British archaeologist Howard Carter and his Egyptian workmen. The were digging in the Valley and suddenly they discovered a step leading to a tomb. Carter soon established that the tomb was of King Tutankhamun.
The finding was a sensation and it made headlines around the world. Many experts believed that the majority if not all of the tombs of the Pharaoh had been discovered. If there were any tombs that were not discovered they had already been probably robbed a long time ago. Carter believed that some tombs were yet to be discovered and especially the tomb of King Tutankhamun.
King Tutankhamun, was not as well-known as many other Pharaohs and he had died when he was 18, before he could achieve anything. Carter began to investigate the Valley of the Kings for the tomb of Tutankhamun because he was convinced that it was located there. One of his Egyptian workmen discovered debris near an entrance to the tomb of another Pharaoh, Ramases IV. This was later to prove to be entrance of the tomb of King Tutankhamun. Carter later alerted his main financial backer Lord Carnarvon. On November, the 26th the duo entered the main chamber of the tomb and they were astonished by what they found. The tomb was intact and unlike others had not been robbed. The tomb had several thousand precious and historic objects. They later found the mummified body of the king in his tomb. He had been laid to rest in a coffin that was made of almost pure gold. Many of the items found in the tomb were made of gold or from other precious materials. They had been placed in the tomb, because the Ancient Egyptians believed in an after-life and that the objects buried with the Pharaoh would be used in the next life.
The bulk of the artefacts found in the tomb are now on display in a museum in Cairo. They are visited by hundreds of thousands of people every year.
King Tutankhamun had fascinated historians and the public ever since. Further investigations of the mummified corpse would seem to indicate that the young king had suffered a serious injury and this may have led to his death. There are some who argue that the young king was actually murdered and other who believe it was accidental. The tomb has allowed historians and researcher a better understanding of life in Ancient Egypt.