HOWARD CARTER
100 years ago, this archaeologist shot to worldwide renown when he discovered the tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun
WORDS AILSA HARVEY
Above: Carter and his assistant Arthur Callender standing by the entrance to the tomb
The discovery of the tomb of ancient Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun was made more famous because it was so well hidden, untouched by grave robbers and archaeologists alike for thousands of years. When it was unearthed a century ago, the mummified body and its decorated sarcophagus emerged fully intact. Many ancient tombs were uncovered in Egypt in the 20th century, but Tutankhamun’s remains and treasures were the only ones to be excavated in their entirety.
Tutankhamun was a young pharaoh who ruled ancient Egypt for just a single decade, until around 1324 BCE. Howard Carter, the archaeologist who led the excavation of Tutankhamun’s tomb, searched the landscape of Egypt for three decades before he found the pharaoh’s final resting place. Carter’s career began in a wholly unlikely place, following the legacy of his artist father