The First Step to Tutankhamun's Tomb Is Found
On November 4, 1922, Howard Carter's excavation team uncovered a step cut into the rock in the Valley of the Kings.
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The Event
On November 4, 1922, Howard Carter's excavation team uncovered a step cut into the rock in the Valley of the Kings. It led toward the tomb later identified as Tutankhamun's.
The Wider Story
The discovery emerged from a systematic excavation involving Egyptian workers, records and years of searching. The staircase and sealed entrance were investigated before the famous look into the antechamber.
Putting the Event in Perspective
November 4 was the beginning of the discovery, not the opening of the burial chamber.
Reading the Historical Record
The antechamber glimpse came later in November, and the burial chamber was opened in February 1923.
About the Historical Recreation
The accompanying visual is an illustrative reconstruction: Egyptian excavation workers seen distantly beside a newly exposed stone step in the Valley of the Kings. It is not authentic archival footage, an eyewitness record or additional evidence for the event.
Sources
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