Tutankhamun's Tomb: The Thrill of Discovery

Allen, Susan, with an introduction by James P. Allen (2006)

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One of the most memorable episodes in the history of archaeology was the discovery and exploration of the tomb of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun (Dynasty 18; ruled about 1336–1327 B.C.). Discovered in 1922 by British archaeologist Howard Carter and his benefactor Lord Carnarvon, the tomb's four chambers were crammed with such spectacular objects as gold-covered chariots; elaborately carved alabaster vessels; inlaid furniture; a vast array of Tutankhamun's personal belongings, including jewelry; a series of shrines and coffins that protected the king; and the famous solid-gold mask that adorned his mummy—the last, among the most iconic examples of ancient Egyptian art ever to have come to light.

The clearance of the tomb unfolded over a period of ten years. Each step was documented by British archaeological photographer Harry Burton (1879–1940), a member of the Metropolitan Museum's Egyptian Expedition, who had joined Carter and was entrusted with recording every detail of the painstaking work of removing and preserving all of the almost fifty-four hundred individual objects that filled the tomb. This volume brings together over seventy of the more than fourteen hundred 8-by-10 black-and-white images by Harry Burton (his glass-plate negatives are today in the archives of The Metropolitan Museum of Art and in Great Britain at the Griffith Institute in Oxford). Burton captured both the excitement and the tension surrounding the excavation as it progressed, beginning with his panoramic view of the Valley of the Kings. His camera caught everything as it was found, and as each of the sealed rooms filled with artifacts was opened, culminating in his record of Carter's exploration of the Burial Chamber, with its series of shrines and coffins that protected the young Tutankhamun and enclosed his mummy, bedecked with floral collars and the famous gold mask. The book opens with an Introduction by James P. Allen, Curator in the Metropolitan Museum's Department of Egyptian Art, which presents a historical background for the story of the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb and the significance of its contents, placing the excavation and the events surrounding it in context. The narrative text by Susan J. Allen, Senior Research Associate in the Department of Egyptian Art, describes every stage in the clearance of the tomb, and the careful exploration, examination, and conservation by Carter and his team of the artifacts that it contained. The specific activities shown in the photographs are identified in the detailed explanations provided for each of the plates.

The volume contains a map of the Valley of the Kings, a plan of the tomb of Tutankhamun, and a Suggested Reading list for those interested in learning more about the subject.

Table of contents

Director's Foreword

Acknowledgments

Introduction
James P. Allen

The Plates

Descriptions of the Plates

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Harry Burton (1879–1940): The Pharaoh's Photographer

Tutankhamun's Funeral

Timelines (1)

Egypt, 2000–1000 B.C.

Exhibition

Discovering Tutankhamun: The Photographs of Harry Burton

On November 4, 1922, after a seven-year search, the British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the tomb of the pharaoh Tutankhamun. On November 24 in the presence of his sponsor, Lord Carnarvon, he opened the tomb and found "wonderful things." Carter soon realized the enormous task that lay ahead in removing, recording, and preserving the thousands of objects that filled the four chambers of the tomb. He sought the assistance of The Metropolitan Museum of Art and its Theban Expedition, which generously lent several staff members, including the photographer Harry Burton. Over the next ten years, Burton photographed many of the more than 5,000 objects found in Tut's tomb, both in situ and in his studio, on some 1,400 glass-plate negatives. In addition to his work in black and white, Burton also photographed many objects in color and made movies of the objects as they were removed from the tomb.

Harry Burton (1879–1940) was trained in art photography in Florence, Italy. In 1914 he went to Egypt to photograph the Theban tombs for the Museum. His masterful use of natural and artificial light, as well as his experience and high standards, make the photographs not only valuable scientific records but also works of art. Burton remained in Egypt after the Metropolitan ceased excavating in 1935, and continued to record the monuments. He died there in 1940 and is buried in the American cemetery in Asyut.

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