Tomb of Tutankhamun

ancient Egypt · archaeology · pharaohs

A young pharaoh's tomb. Tutankhamun was an ancient Egyptian king from the Eighteenth Dynasty who died young. His tomb, also called KV62, sits in the famous Valley of the Kings where many pharaohs were buried.

Packed with treasures. King Tut was buried with coffins, furniture, clothing, jewelry, and personal possessions. Because the tomb was small and had limited space, all these precious items had to be crammed in very densely, like the world's most valuable treasure chest.

Four connected chambers. The tomb consists of four chambers connected by an entrance staircase and corridor. It is smaller and less decorated than other royal tombs from that time period.

Hidden and protected. The tomb's low position in the valley floor, combined with debris from flooding and other tomb construction, naturally hid its entrance. This protective covering is probably why robbers didn't completely strip it like they did to other tombs in the valley.

Robbers couldn't finish the job. Thieves broke into the tomb twice soon after King Tut was buried, but somehow his mummy and most of the burial goods stayed intact. This makes it one of the most complete ancient royal burials ever found.