Howard Carter Discovers Tutankhamun Tomb Steps
In the early 20th century, British archaeologist Howard Carter had spent years excavating in Egypt's Valley of the Kings under the patronage of Lord Carnarvon, seeking royal tombs that had largely escaped ancient looters. By late 1922, after clearing debris near earlier finds, a worker's tool struck a stone step on November 4. Further digging revealed a staircase leading to a sealed doorway marked with Tutankhamun's name. Carter and his team proceeded methodically, later confirming on November 26 the presence of an intact burial chamber filled with thousands of artifacts. The discovery astonished the world as one of the few nearly complete pharaonic tombs ever found.
Why it matters: The find provided an unparalleled window into New Kingdom Egyptian royal life, art, and funerary practices through over 5,000 well-preserved objects now housed in museums like Cairo's Egyptian Museum. It fueled global fascination with ancient Egypt, advanced Egyptology methods, and remains a benchmark for intact archaeological discoveries.