Secrets of the Mummy's Tomb

Tut became pharaoh after his father died, more than 3,300 years ago. He was just 8 or 9 years old. He ruled for about a decade until he died. 

Ancient Egyptians believed in life after death. They preserved the bodies of their rulers as mummies. Mummies were buried with items they might need in the afterlife. 

Carter found Tut’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings, a royal burial ground near the Nile River. Dozens of other pharaohs were also buried there. But looters had robbed many of the tombs in ancient times. They stole the treasures that lay inside. Had Tut’s tomb also been raided? 

On November 26, 1922, Carter and Lord Carnarvon entered the tomb. Carter’s hand trembled in the darkness. He held up a candle to look through a hole in a door. The room glittered in gold! Inside were golden chariots, jeweled chests, and statues. No one in modern times had seen anything like it. 

Tut became pharaoh after his father died. That was more than 3,300 years ago. He was just 8 or 9 years old. He ruled for about a decade until he died. 

Ancient Egyptians believed in life after death. They preserved the bodies of their rulers as mummies. Mummies were buried with items they might need in the afterlife.

Carter found Tut’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings. That’s a royal burial ground. It’s near the Nile River. Dozens of other pharaohs were also buried there. But looters had robbed many of the tombs. They had stolen the treasures that lay inside. Had Tut’s tomb also been raided?

On November 26, 1922, Carter and Lord Carnarvon entered the tomb. Carter’s hand trembled in the darkness. He held up a candle to look through a hole in a door. The room glittered in gold! Inside were golden chariots, jeweled chests, and statues. No one in modern times had seen anything like it. 

The greatest find of all awaited deeper in the tomb. Inside the burial chamber, a huge stone coffin called a sarcophagus held three smaller coffins. The last one, made of solid gold, held King Tut’s mummy. 

News of the discovery soon spread, creating a global sensation.

“For the first time, the world had an idea of the fantastic treasures that the kings of Egypt took with them to the next world,” explains Bob Brier, an expert on ancient Egypt. 

Not long after entering Tut’s tomb, Lord Carnarvon died from an infected mosquito bite. As time passed, others involved with the tomb died too. Some said it was due to the “mummy’s curse”—anyone who disturbed a pharaoh’s tomb would be punished. But experts say the curse is a myth. After all, Carter lived for another 16 years after.

He and his team spent much of that time removing more than 5,000 items from the tomb. Many are in museums throughout the world.

Each year, more than a million people flock to Tut’s tomb. But, if not for Carter and his crew, the boy king might still remain unknown. “It may be the greatest archaeological discovery ever,” says Brier.

The greatest find of all awaited deeper in the tomb. Inside the burial chamber, there was a huge stone coffin called a sarcophagus. It held three smaller coffins. The last one was made of solid gold. It held King Tut’s mummy.

News of the discovery soon spread. It created a global sensation.

“For the first time, the world had an idea of the fantastic treasures that the kings of Egypt took with them to the next world,” explains Bob Brier. He’s an expert on ancient Egypt.

Not long after entering Tut’s tomb, Lord Carnarvon died. His death was caused by an infected mosquito bite. As time passed, others involved with the tomb died too. Some said the deaths were caused by the “mummy’s curse.” That meant anyone who disturbed a pharaoh’s tomb would be punished. But experts say the curse is a myth. After all, Carter lived for another 16 years after finding Tut.

He and his team spent much of that time removing more than 5,000 items from the tomb. Many are in museums throughout the world.

Each year, more than a million people flock to Tut’s tomb. But if not for Carter and his crew, the boy king might still be unknown. “It may be the greatest archaeological discovery ever,” says Brier.

1. What do you think an archaeologist does? What clues in the text help you know?
2. Why were ancient Egyptian rulers buried with many items, according to the article?
3. What is the purpose of the diagram, “Buried Treasures”?

1. What do you think an archaeologist does? What clues in the text help you know?
2. Why were ancient Egyptian rulers buried with many items, according to the article?
3. What is the purpose of the diagram, “Buried Treasures”?