A 100 years since Tutankhamun’s tomb was uncovered — Through brutal methods
It has been exactly a century since Howard Carter’s team uncovered the remains of the legendary Pharaoh Tutankhamun in November 1925. For decades, the event was celebrated as a triumph of archaeology — yet today it is remembered far more darkly, largely because of how the pharaoh’s remains were handled during the excavation.
The beginning of “Tutmania”
In November 1922, a team led by Howard Carter and made up largely of Egyptian workers successfully discovered Tutankhamun’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings. The discovery instantly became a global sensation and reignited the Western world’s fascination with ancient Egypt. Contemporary newspapers and the general public referred to the immense interest surrounding the tomb’s treasures and the mystery of the young pharaoh simply as “Tutmania”.
However, the excavation of the tomb proved to be an extremely lengthy process. Years passed before the researchers reached the most significant find — the pharaoh’s body itself — due to the meticulous documentation of the artefacts and the tensions developing between Carter and the Egyptian government. It was only in November 1925 that the innermost coffin of Tutankhamun was finally opened. Few people realise, however, that this moment marked the beginning of one of archaeology’s darkest chapters, according to The Conversation.
A brutal excavation
The team were stunned to find that Tutankhamun’s body had been fused to the coffin by a thick, black, hardened resin-like substance — a kind of tar applied to the bandages during the burial to protect the body from decay.
Rather than seeking an appropriate method to deal with it, Carter’s team first attempted to soften the resin using heat from the sun. When this failed, they resorted to drastic measures: the mummy was cut into pieces using hot knives. The pharaoh’s head and funerary mask were simply separated from the body, and after examinations were carried out, the team attempted to reattach the pieces to give the illusion that the mummy had remained intact.
The true circumstances may have been covered up
Egyptologist Joyce Tyldesley later pointed out that Carter never publicly reported these horrors. The details of the dissection are missing both from his published accounts and from his private notes, which are now held at the Griffith Institute of the University of Oxford.
Carter’s silence went unquestioned for a long time, but according to Tyldesley, it may have been a deliberate cover-up. Archaeological photographer Harry Burton, however, documented every questionable moment, and his images are shockingly candid: in some photographs, the pharaoh’s skull is shown being propped up with a simple metal rod to ensure it appeared upright for a photograph intended for the public.
These photos stand in stark contrast to the image Carter included in his own book, The Tomb of Tut-Ankh-Amen (1927), in which the pharaoh’s head is carefully wrapped, creating the impression of delicate handling.
Serious ethical questions emerge
The case raises serious ethical questions for modern archaeology: how far may a scientist go in the pursuit of knowledge? What does a discovery truly mean if respect for human remains is lost in the process?
The excavation of Tutankhamun’s tomb undoubtedly marked a major milestone for Egyptology and had numerous cultural benefits. Yet the centenary also serves as a reminder that, despite scientific curiosity, respecting and protecting excavated remains is of utmost importance.
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