Eight Treasures that Archaeologists Found in Pharaoh's Tomb

VIVA – When archaeologist Howard Carter and the team discovered the tomb of King Tutankhamun 100 years ago, they reported seeing extraordinary things kind of treasures.

The tomb of Tutankhamun, discovered by archaeologists in the Valley of the Kings on November 4, 1922, was found full of treasures. Some artifacts, such as his death mask, have become widely known.

But other items such as mannequins that may have helped the viceroy choose what to wear are less well known, while also offering insight into Pharaoh's life.

Here are eight treasures and interesting things from Tutankhamun's tomb that describe the Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, as reported through Live Science on Thursday, October 27, 2022.

1. Death Mask

The death mask is the most famous artifact found in Pharaoh's tomb. The mask was placed on King Tutankhamun's face. According to a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Mechanical Design at Cairo University, Galal Ali Hassan said the ornate mask measures 21 inches (53 centimeters) long.

On the back of the death, the mask was an incantation from the Book of the Dead written in hieroglyphics. The main ingredients of the mask are gold inlaid with semiprecious stones and colored glass paste and weigh 22 pounds (10 kilograms).

2. Iron Daggers

Tutankhamun was buried with two daggers, one with an iron blade and one with a golden dagger. The two daggers were found wrapped in different layers of bandages from the pharaoh's mummy.

A dagger with an iron blade placed on Tutankhamun's right thigh was made from a meteorite. Meanwhile, the handle is made of stone crystal as well as a gold handle with intricate patterns engraved on it.

A dagger with a gold blade, which also has an intricately carved gold handle, was found above Tutankhamun's stomach. Both are showing signs of wear and tear.

3. Board Games

Pharaoh's Tomb has at least four board games in it. Some of the boards and game pieces found in the tomb were made of ivory and appeared to have been designed for the game of twenty and senet.

There are no completely clear rules of the game. The Great Museum of Egypt notes that senet was played with a 30-square board and the goal was to safely navigate all parts of the board while preventing opponents from doing the same.

The rules of game twenty are also uncertain. Among experts who have studied the game, it is generally assumed that the two players start on opposite sides of the board, then move the pawns down the center aisle to the final court and off the board to win.

4. Garment Mannequins

One of the lesser-known treasures of Tutankhamun's tomb is the mannequins used to help select, customize and store the king's wardrobe and jewelry.

"Tut, of course, is a very well-groomed makeup artist with a huge wardrobe for both his life and the afterlife," A Founder and Director of Ancient Egypt Alive, Laura Ranieri Roy said.

5. Golden Sandals

Pharaoh's mummy was found wearing gold sandals. The total length is about 29.5 cm (11.6 inches). Tutankhamun likely wouldn't have worn these sandals while he was alive, tailor-made for his funeral.

These gold sandals are cut from a plate of gold foil and are embossed which is protected on a soft surface by a layer of leather. Not much different from how thin metal is in modern times, it is forged to be molded and decorated.

6. Tutankhamun's Coffin

Tutankhamun was buried in three coffins. The combined coffin weighs about 1.25 tons (1.3 metric tons). The large size of the coffin, coupled with the relatively small size of Tutankhamun's tomb, made it difficult for Carter to open it.

The three coffins show Tutankhamun having a long beard, holding his curves, and a whip. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities noted that the outer coffin was made of gilded wood and had blue and red glass in the grooves and whip.

The second coffin was also made of gilded wood and was found with some plants. The institute noted that the third and deepest coffin made of pure gold was found wrapped in linen.

7. Tutankhamun's Throne

Two thrones were found in Tutankhamun's tomb, one of which was made of ebony. Because it resembles a bishop's seat, Carter called it the 'ecclesiastical throne' although there is no evidence that it had a specific religious purpose.

Another throne which is sometimes called the golden throne has a depiction of Tutankhamun and his wife, Ankhesenamun. The Pharaoh's partner was seen applying ointment or perfume to Tutankhamun.

8. Chariots

Six chariots were found in Tutankhamun's tomb. Researchers call the two most complex trains the state train. The in-depth analysis found that the object had a canopy over it that could provide shade for those riding it.

The chariot also has images of six foreign captives on its right side, as well as hieroglyphs with the names Tutankhamun and Ankhesenamun. It also has an image of a Sun eagle with outstretched wings and hieroglyphic inscriptions saying that the eagle represents Horus, the Egyptian god associated with the Sun.