After years of failure exploring the tombs of the Valley of the Kings near Luxor, Egypt, British archeologist Howard Carter’s shovel struck a buried stone step in November 1922. Breath held, he cleared sand, descending into darkness. A sealed doorway appeared. By flickering candle, gold gleamed through the aperture. After centuries of silence, Tutankhamun’s untouched tomb emerged, thrilling explorers, igniting headlines, and revealing ancient Egypt’s splendor to the modern world. More than 100 years later, in 2025 the death mask of Tutankhamun, one of the world’s most famous art objects, went on display in the new Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in Cairo, alongside over 5,000 objects recovered from the tomb. This was the first time all objects have been shown together and catalogued, providing a unique and fascinating insight into the past. Tutankhamun Illustrated reveals the life and times of the 14th century BCE boy- pharaoh who died in mysterious circumstances as a teenager; learn how his tomb was uncovered, intact and untouched for 3000 years; marvel at key objects recovered from the tomb; and understand the many myths that have grown up around the discovery of the tomb and the wider influence of Tutankhamun and his legacy on modern understanding of ancient Egyptian culture and life.
