Tutankhamun: Excavating the Archive

Tutankhamun offers an intimate insight into the records of one of the world’s most famous archaeological discoveries. In 1922, as Egypt became an independent nation, the tomb of the young king Tutankhamun was discovered. It was the first known intact royal burial from ancient Egypt, and the excavation of the tomb by Howard Carter and his team, funded by the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, generated enormous media interest. The excavation was famously photographed by Harry Burton, and these photographs, along with letters, plans, drawings, and diaries, are part of an archive created by the excavators and presented to the Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, after Carter’s death. These historic images and records present a vivid first-hand account of the discovery, including the spectacular variety of the king’s burial goods and the remarkable work that went into documenting and conserving them. The archive enables a nuanced and inclusive view of the complexities of both the ancient burial and the excavation, including often overlooked Egyptian members of the archaeological team. Tutankhamun includes a selection of fifty key items, chosen by the staff of the Griffith Institute, that provide an accessible and authoritative overview of the archive, drawing on new research on the collection and giving unprecedented insight into the records of one of the world’s most famous archaeological discoveries.