How did Howard Carter Locate Tutankhamun's Tomb?

'How did Howard Carter Locate Tutankhamun's Tomb?'

On November 4th 1922 a breathless archaeologist, who had spent his life working in Egypt, wrote a hurried diary entry: “First steps of Tomb Found”. This was the very moment that iconic archaeologist Howard Carter found the entrance to the tomb of the Ancient Egyption Pharaoh, Tutankhamun.

In this very special film, shot in Egypt and England, Dan Snow commemorates the centenary of the most famous archaeological discovery of them all - walking in the footsteps of Howard Carter as he retraces the story of the discovery, from the beginnings of Carter’s career as a young artist recording reliefs in Hatshepsut’s magnificent temple, to the house he built especially close to the Valley of the Kings thanks to the support of Lord Carnarvon.

The History Hit team has gained access to key places associated with this historic story: Highclere Castle, home of Lord Carnarvon; Tutankhamun’s Tomb in the Valley of the Kings, and his famous golden treasures in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo, which we explore with conservator Eid Murtah.

And Dan discovers that there is another side to this story, revealed in Oxford - Howard Carter’s extensive records are stored here. Dan gets up close to key objects in the Bodleian Weston Library’s exhibition ‘Tutankhamun - Excavating the Archives’, including the famous journal entry that, as Carter first gazed into the dark of the tomb, he told Carnarvon “It is wonderful”.

In Oxford’s Griffith Archive, Dan explores the records in detail with curator Daniella Rosenow. The original glass plate negatives reveal how the tomb looked as Carter opened it, with now familiar objects covered in flowers and linens, carefully placed there as the nineteen year old pharaoh was buried in 1323 BC. It presents a very different image of the objects that we now picture cleaned up and conserved - here they are in a much more immediate moment just as Carter uncovered them.

And remember, as YouTube subscribers, you can sign up to History Hit TV today with code YOUTUBE and enjoy 50% off your first 3 months!

#historyhit #ancientegypt #tutankamun

00:00 Introduction
01:17 Highclere Castle - Home of Lord Carnarvon
05:01 Howard Carter's Diary
08:08 Valley of the Kings
11:50 Tutankhamun's Burial Chamber
13:43 Photographs of Discovery

[zachbarnes]

I wish the tomb could be filled with replicas of the original treasures and sarcophagi found so that people could get a sense of what Howard Carter felt when he saw it all.

[pacificbeachbumb]

I was really fortunate to visit the tomb and the collection at the antiquities museum around 2015 during a lull in tourism. There was virtually no one there! Almost had the valley of the kings to ourselves and the same was for the museum in Cairo.

[natasjadirken]

The best memory of my life is being all alone in Tutanchamon's tombe. I sat on the floor and was in awe and crying my eyes out from happiness since I waited 25 years to finally be there.

[en]

I love how all the treasures were just randomly stored in the tomb. Like people put their stuff in a garage or spare room. Its also fascinating how he is now the most famous Egyptian King of all time despite being so young & therefore not really that important in Egypts history of Kings. But it was his tomb we found. Just like it was Ann Franks diary we found. So they become the most famous for that reason alone.

[waterissogood]

There's such a personal touch to history hit docs. Maybe it's the handcam use, maybe it's just Dan, but this is so much more enjoyable than a lot of clinical network-based docs I've seen.

[bevinboulder]

Outstanding! It's interesting, though, to see the actual diary entry because I've always heard that Carter's reply when Carnarvon asked if he saw anything was, "Yes, wonderful things."

[nancyM]

I like Dan Snow and the history of King Tut ... this will be Wonderful!
Thanks for uploading.

[wednesdayschild]

Some of the items came to the Denver Museum. It was such a great thrill to see the items. I am too poor to go to Egypt, but I could afford a ticket to see the treasures.

[ryanthedevilschild]

Dan Snow looks like a Jedi in the tomb haha

[orlandoa]

Dan Snow presents an excellent story documenting the extraordinary discovery of the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun - with an important acknowledgement that it wasn't just Carter & Carnarvon alone that found the tomb. I wonder, is there a part 2 to this video?

[henrikrolfsen]

King Tut may not have been Egypt's most famous Pharaoh, but based upon the vast riches found buried with him, he must have been very much loved by his people.

[gonefishing]

Thank you, brilliant . It definitely has the wow factor doesn’t it 👍👍👍👍👵👵🇦🇺🇦🇺

[ollonnn]

It’s so interesting, I can’t wrap my head around it.

[fredwilma]

I had the pleasure of visiting the great exhibition on a school trip to London, I think it was around 1972 .its a shame really as we were taught nothing at at all about the king but I can say I was stood looking at the beautiful mask from only about 2ft away staring into the eyes of the king, I remember it was so stunning with the gold and blue stripes .I was privileged, but didn't know at the tiime!

[artisaprimus]

I saw the Tut exhibit when it traveled thru the US. Amazing workmanship and over three thousand years old.

[kevd]

I read somewhere the Carter's meticulous cataloguing and removal of the objects in the tomb took something like 7 or 8 years. Imagine the discipline that would take. Every single object, photographed and sketched in situ, measured, recorded, carefully moved, photographed again, and boxed up for shipping and further study. Every day, in the desert, for years. Carter might not have been a great archaeologist, he might have been the GREATEST archaeologist.

[Charlie_Fucsard]

Tutankhamun’s Tomb unsealed 100 YEARS AGO TODAY!

[bakenumber]

One of the most interesting episodes I've watched in a while.

[Ucfahmad]

i loved the passion and explanations of the egyptologist alia ismaili! What a wonderful guest, she really added to the documentary.

[xpertnino]

I never actually went this far in my own research of tutankhamon i mean i know this was a thing but i'm simply amazed by all of this but still i have so many questions.