The golden death chariot and countless treasures inside King Tutankhamun’s tomb shocked archaeologists. ‎

Thanks to Howard Carter’s discovery of  King Tutankhamun’s tomb  in 1922, there is no Pharaoh more well-known and well-loved than  King Tut, the boy king , who died in 1323 BC at the age of 20. November 4, 2022, marks the 100th anniversary of  the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb , an earth-shattering moment in archaeology! In celebration of this centennial, we are sharing 25 of the astonishing treasures found within his tomb.

Most spectacular of all the discoveries was, of course, the golden sarcophagus of Tutankhamen and the inlaid coffins, including one made of solid gold. Inside this nesting-doll-like ᴀssembly, rested the mummified body of the king himself. His death mask, also made of gold, has become the symbol of ancient Egyptian finery, and is considered one of the greatest works of art of the ancient world.

But among those well-known treasures were  more than 5,000 precious artifacts  in pristine condition. There were six chariots and all manner of weapons, shields, and daggers. There was also a wide array of furniture, much of it covered in gold and precious stones: two royal thrones, couches, chairs, ritual beds, and headrests. There were chests containing priceless pieces of jewelry and beautiful clothing made of fine linen. There were jars containing rare perfumes, precious oils, and ointments. There were elaborate shrines to the gods, including one which hosted the Canopic jars that stored King Tut’s preserved internal organs. There were  musical instruments  and writing implements, lamps, ostrich fans, and board games. There was food and as many as 30 bottles of wine. There were also 139 ebony, ivory, silver, and gold walking sticks. In short, every conceivable thing a young king may need in the next life could be found surrounding his body and sealed shut for eternity.

Detail of the ritual bed from Tutankhamen’s tomb, replica ( Mikhail / CC by SA 3.0 )

Pectoral with Three Scarabs, Tomb of Tutankhamun ( Dmitry Denisenkov  / Flickr)

An ivory headrest with two recumbent lions. PH๏τographed at the Discovery of King Tut exhibit at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in Portland, Oregon. ( Mary Harrsch  / Flickr)  The headrest was the  ancient Egyptian equivalent of a pillow , and was designed to keep the head elevated during sleep.

Golden throne found in Tutankhamun’s tomb. A scene from the daily life of the pharaoh is depicted on the front of the throne: the young Tutankhamun sits in a relaxed pose, while his wife Ankhesenamun rubs her husband’s shoulder with fragrance oils. ( Public Domain )

One of six chariots found in Tutankhamun’s tomb. These meticulously created reproductions were pH๏τographed at The Discovery of King Tut” exhibition in New York City. ( Mary Harrsch  / Flickr)

The Anubis Shrine was found guarding the entrance of Tutankhamun’s tomb. An Anubis statue sits atop a trapezoidal altar made of gilded wood. Egyptian Museum, Cairo. ( kairoinfo4u / Flickr)

Makeup box in the shape of an ankh from King Tutankhamun’s tomb. PH๏τographed at The Discovery of King Tut exhibition in New York City. ( Mary Harrsch  / Flickr)

A legged hieroglyphic chest from Tutankhamun’s tomb ( Bill Abbott  / Flickr)

Collar of semi-precious stones with falcon-headed terminals found on the mummy of King Tutankhamun. PH๏τographed at The Discovery of King Tut” exhibition in New York City. ( Mary Harrsch  / Flickr)

Child-sized chair and footstool made of ebony inlaid with ivory found in Tutankhamun’s tomb, which he may have used as a child. PH๏τographed at the Discovery of King Tut exhibit at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in Portland, Oregon. ( Bill Abbott  / CC by SA 2.0)

Cosmetic oil vessel with the representations of Nile gods symbolically uniting Upper and Lower Egypt, alabaster, gold, ivory, from the tomb treasure of Tutankhamun. Egyptian Museum, Cairo ( Djehouty / CC by SA 4.0 )

Ivory rattle and ornate reed pen case found in King Tut’s tomb. PH๏τographed at the Discovery of King Tut exhibit at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in Portland, Oregon. ( Mary Harrsch / Flickr)

An ornate golden throne and footrest from Tutankhamun’s tomb ( Mirko / Adobe Stock)

Alabaster and ivory boat statue from the tomb treasure of king Tutankhamun. Egyptian Museum, Cairo. ( Djehouty / CC by SA 4.0 )

Storage chest in the form of a cartouche found in King Tut’s tomb. PH๏τographed at the Discovery of King Tut exhibit at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in Portland, Oregon. ( Mary Harrsch / Flickr )

Ornate storage chest from the tomb treasure of King Tutankhamun, stuccoed and painted wood. Egyptian Museum, Cairo. ( Djehouty / CC by SA 4.0 )

Detail of a golden animal head from a ritual bed found in the tomb treasure of King Tutankhamun. Egyptian Museum, Cairo. ( Djehouty / CC by SA 4.0 )

Four canopic jars containing Tutankhamun’s internal organs – lungs, stomach, intestines and liver. Four goddesses protected the shrine – Neith to the north, Selkis to the south, Isis to the west and Nephthys to the east. ( Djehouty / CC by SA 4.0 )

Throwing sticks found with King Tut’s hunting equipment although the center one made of ivory and the lower one with gold and faience terminals would have been only used for ceremonial purposes. PH๏τographed at the Discovery of King Tut exhibit at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in Portland, Oregon. ( Mary Harrsch / Flickr )

A game box and pieces for playing the game of the Royal Game of Ur found within the tomb of  Tutankhamun. This pH๏τo was taken at the King Tut exhibition at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle, Washington State, USA. ( ddenisen / CC by SA 2.0 )

Gold dagger found in a girdle around the hips of King Tutankhamun’s. PH๏τographed at The Discovery of King Tut” exhibition in New York City. ( Mary Harrsch  / Flickr)

King Tutankhamun’s gold sandals and toe covers. PH๏τographed at The Discovery of King Tut” exhibition in New York City. ( Mary Harrsch  / Flickr)

Tutankhamun’s bed from his tomb treasures ( Dmitry Denisenkov  / Flickr)

One of 35 model boats found in Tutankhamun’s tomb ( Dmitry Denisenkov  / Flickr)

Related Posts

Why Was This Mummy Found With A Golden Tongue?

During explorations at an ancient Egyptian temple near Alexandria in 2021, archaeologists found something startling and unique. While searching inside a burial shaft, they found a 2,000-year-old mummy…

Shackled skeletons were found in two mᴀss graves in the Faliron Delta

Two mᴀss graves containing 80 ancient bodies have been discovered in the Faliron Delta region of southern Athens. The 7th Century BC bodies, belonging to young men,…

Echoes of ancient royalty: Discover the final resting place of a Pharaoh’s mother, buried in an exquisitely crafted tomb from the era of 1290-1279 BC.

The royal mummy of Seti I was buried in an elegant alabaster sarcophagus in his tomb (KV17) in the Valley of the Kings, West Thebes. The mummy…

Tales of a Two-headed Giant: Are Legends of Patagonia’s Kap Dwa Real?

In the annals of history, tales of giants have permeated diverse cultures, weaving a rich tapestry of myth and legend. From the towering Greek тιтans to the…

Pristine ship discovered in Antarctica 107 years after it sank

As humans, we can’t seem to help leaving traces of ourselves behind everywhere we go. And some of these artifacts are bigger than others. In South America,…

Exploring Ancient Egypt: Luxor, Karnak & the Valley of the Kings

The temples, ruins and historic sites around Luxor are the most spectacular parts of visiting Ancient Egypt. That’s right. Even when considering the Pyramids and the Great…