104 Years Since Tutankhamun's Tomb Was Found: 5 Facts About the Boy King
On 4 November 2026 we mark 104 years since the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb, often called the most famous archaeological find of the 20th century. It all began with something tiny: a single stone step in the Valley of the Kings, on the west bank of Luxor in Egypt. This year feels extra special, because it is the first full year in which the boy king's treasures are displayed together in a new museum beside the Giza pyramids.
In short: On 4 Nov 1922, Howard Carter's team found the first step leading to tomb KV62, the nearly intact burial of Tutankhamun with more than 5,000 objects. Today the complete 5,398-piece collection is shown in one place for the first time at the Grand Egyptian Museum. The “pharaoh's curse”, meanwhile, has no evidence behind it and was largely a newspaper sensation.
One step that changed archaeology
Before 1922, Carter had dug in the Valley of the Kings for several seasons with little to show for it. His patron, Lord Carnarvon, agreed to fund just one more season. Then, on the morning of 4 November, workers clearing the remains of ancient workmen's huts near the tomb of Ramesses VI uncovered a step cut into the rock. (Some accounts credit a water boy with the first glimpse.)
Carter covered the entrance again and telegraphed Carnarvon about a “magnificent discovery”. Once his patron arrived, the pair opened the sealed doorway and peered in by candlelight on 26 November. Asked whether he could see anything, Carter is said to have replied: “Yes, wonderful things!” — though his own journal records the moment more plainly.
Who was Tutankhamun, and why is he so famous?
Tutankhamun was an 18th-Dynasty pharaoh who reigned around 1332–1323 BC. He took the throne at only 8 or 9 years old and died at about 18 or 19. He was not Egypt's mightiest ruler, but his tomb made him its best-known one: while most royal tombs had been robbed in antiquity, the chambers of KV62 were still packed with jewellery, furniture, chariots and everything needed for the afterlife.
5 fascinating facts about the tomb
Over 5,000 objects, nearly 10 years of work — cataloguing and clearing the tomb continued until 1932.
The burial chamber came later — its doorway was opened on 16 February 1923, almost three months after the first step was found.
KV62 is a code — KV stands for Kings' Valley, and 62 is the tomb's number in the valley's register.
A world-class new museum — the Grand Egyptian Museum officially opened on 1 Nov 2025, covering about 500,000 m² roughly 2 km from the Giza pyramids, with over 100,000 artefacts.
Complete for the first time — all 5,398 pieces of the Tutankhamun collection are displayed together there, so this year also marks the museum's first anniversary.
Is the “pharaoh's curse” real?
A few months after the discovery, Lord Carnarvon died in Cairo of blood poisoning, and newspapers turned the “curse of the pharaohs” into a global headline. The numbers tell a calmer story: of 58 people involved, only 8 died within the next dozen years, and there is no evidence for theories about poisons or radiation in the tomb. Carter himself, who spent nearly a decade working there, dismissed the idea as “tommy-rot”.
Want to go deeper? If Tutankhamun has sparked your curiosity about ancient Egypt, the next legend worth reading lived about 1,300 years after him: Egypt's last queen. Cleopatra VII: Empress of the Nile by ChatStick Team is a 115-page English eBook on Google Play Books. It follows her rise amid family turmoil, her alliances with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, and the road to Actium and the end of independent Egypt in 30 BC — an easy one- or two-evening read.
A Tutankhamun trail checklist (in person or from your sofa)
Valley of the Kings, Luxor: stand where KV62 was found and the story began.
Grand Egyptian Museum, Giza: allow a full day — it is huge — and check opening hours and tickets on the official website before you go.
Pair it with the pyramids: the two sites are only about 2 km apart, so one day can cover both.
Read before you go: a quick grasp of Egypt's timeline, from the pharaohs to Cleopatra's Ptolemaic dynasty, makes every gallery more rewarding.
Handy words: pharaoh, tomb, sarcophagus, artefact, archaeologist.
If you could travel back in time, what would you look at first?
Imagine standing next to Carter on 26 November 1922 as the candlelight flickers into the tomb. What would you want to see first? Which ancient Egypt story should the ChatStick team tell next? Tell us in the comments and share this with your history-loving friends.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
When was Tutankhamun's tomb discovered?
Howard Carter's team found the first step on 4 November 1922 and first looked inside on 26 November 1922.
Why is Tutankhamun's tomb so important?
It was found nearly intact with more than 5,000 objects, giving one of the clearest pictures ever of a royal Egyptian burial.
Where can I see Tutankhamun's treasures?
The complete 5,398-piece collection is displayed at the Grand Egyptian Museum near the Giza pyramids, which officially opened on 1 November 2025.
Is the pharaoh's curse real?
There is no evidence for it. Historians see it as a story amplified by the newspapers of the day, and Carter himself called it nonsense.
Sources: Wikipedia – Howard Carter · Wikipedia – Tutankhamun · Wikipedia – Grand Egyptian Museum · History Hit – Entrance to Tutankhamun's Tomb Found
The book recommended in this article is by the ChatStick team — browse all our titles on ChatStick Team on Google Play Books.
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