howard carter and the tomb of tutankhamun

Carter earned praise for using innovative and modern new methods to draw wall reliefs and other findings. For the next several years, Carter worked under different archaeologists at sites including Amarna, Deir el-Bahari (sometimes spelled Dayr al-Bahri), Thebes, Edfu and Abu Simbel. Howard headed to Egypt in 1891, at the age of 17, where he was to work on the Egypt Exploration Fund's excavation of the Middle Kingdom tombs at Beni Hassan. Through his father's connections, Carter found a job working for an archaeologist who needed an artist to draw his findings. Many prominent British scientists and archaeologists were active in excavating ancient sites.

This period saw an increased European interest in Egyptology, the study of ancient Egypt. The British had occupied Egypt in the late 19th centry. When his father painted a portrait of a well-known Egyptologist, the young Howard's interest was sparked.

He had private home schooling, and had an artistic streak from an early age. Howard was a sickly child, and was sent to live with his aunts in Norfolk. His father Samuel Carter was a successful artist. Howard Carter was born on May 9, 1874, in Kensington, London. He went on to become an important archaeologist, and the lead excavator of the tomb of King Tutankhamun.

For the moment-an eternity it must have seemed to the others standing by-I was struck dumb with amazement, and when Lord Carnarvon, unable to stand the suspense any longer, inquired anxiously, 'Can you see anything?' it was all I could do to get out the words, 'Yes, wonderful things.Howard Carter first went to Egypt as a young artist hired to sketch artifacts. At first I could see nothing, the hot air escaping from the chamber causing the candle flame to flicker, but presently, as my eyes grew accustomed to the light, details of the room within emerged slowly from the mist, strange animals, statues, and gold-everywhere the glint of gold. Candle tests were applied as a precaution against possible foul gases, and then, widening the hold a little, I inserted the candle and peered in, Lord Carnarvon, Lady Evelyn and Callender standing anxiously beside me to hear the verdict. Darkness and blank space, as far as an iron testing-rod could reach, showed that whatever lay beyond was empty, and not filled like the passage we had just cleared. 'With trembling hands I made a tiny breach in the upper left-hand corner.

Howard carter and the tomb of tutankhamun