Discovering Tutankhamun

Summary

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History Daily — "Discovering Tutankhamun" (November 4, 2025)

Episode Overview

In this episode of History Daily, host Lindsay Graham transports listeners back to November 4, 1922—the day Howard Carter and his team discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. The episode traces the dramatic archaeological find, the backstory of the legendary boy king, and the enduring legacy (and mystery) of both discovery and monarch. This historical narration is rich with vivid detail, focusing on the personalities, politics, and pitfalls that made the unearthing of King Tut's tomb a cultural phenomenon.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Scene-Setting: The Fateful Dig in the Valley of the Kings

• Desolate Setting and Final Hopes

  • The episode opens on the Valley of the Kings, a seemingly barren wasteland hiding secrets below the sand ([00:26]).
  • Excavations have diminished in success, and George Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon, financier of the dig, intends for this to be his last attempt after years of little success ([01:29]).
  • Howard Carter faces mounting pressure as the season closes ([01:38]).

• Serendipitous Discovery

  • Hussein Abdul Razul, a 12-year-old waterboy, accidentally discovers a step while placing water jugs, revealing the entrance to a lost tomb ([04:06]).
  • Carter recognizes the significance; the step leads to a sealed door bearing the name of Tutankhamun ([04:40]).

The Opening of the Tomb: Anticipation and Awe

• Delaying the Revelation

  • Carter insists on waiting for Lord Carnarvon before entering the tomb, leading to an agonizing two-week delay ([05:23]).
  • Upon Carnarvon and his daughter Evelyn's arrival, Carter chisels a hole, peering in by lantern ([05:23]).

• Iconic Moment and Treasures Revealed

  • Memorable Quote:

    • Lord Carnarvon: “Can you see anything?”
    • Howard Carter ([06:08]): “Yes. Wonderful things.”

  • The tomb dazzles with “golden beds and couches, statues, vases, baskets, boxes, shrines, chairs, and an alabaster cup,” among thousands of artifacts ([06:20]).

  • More than 5,000 items are meticulously excavated over the following years ([06:32]).

The "Curse" and the Cost

• Tragedy and Sensationalism
  • Shortly after the discovery, Lord Carnarvon dies from blood poisoning following a mosquito bite ([07:40]).
  • The media and public speculate about the "curse of Tutankhamun," with Arthur Conan Doyle claiming, “It is neither decent nor safe to take from their resting places the bodies of old kings. The Egyptians knew much more about the occult than we do today…” ([08:32]).

The Long Road to the Pharaoh

• Clearing the Tomb and Final Chamber
  • The tomb's structure is complex: outer sanctum cleared, then a multi-layered series of shrines blocking the burial chamber ([08:35]).
  • By October 1925, Carter finally accesses the stone sarcophagus: a nested series of three coffins, the innermost of solid gold ([09:19]).
  • The iconic death mask and mummified body of Tutankhamun are finally revealed ([09:35]).

Tutankhamun’s Life and Death: A Historic Mystery

• Historical Context

  • Tutankhamun’s reign (1333–1323 BCE) begins at the age of 8 or 9, amid religious and political tumult instigated by his probable father, Akhenaten ([12:05]).
  • Akhenaten imposed monotheistic worship of Aten, suppressed Egypt’s pantheon, and created a new capital, Akhetaten, at grave human cost ([13:18]).

• The Boy King’s Reforms

  • Tutankhamun reverses much of his father’s legacy, restoring traditional gods and moving the capital ([14:23]).
  • Despite apparent physical frailty—a clubfoot and over 100 walking sticks included in his tomb ([16:37])—the imagery in his burial suggests martial prowess ([16:50]).

• Death and Aftermath

  • Likely died of infection, possibly malaria, and with no heir, Tutankhamun’s death ends the 18th Dynasty ([17:47]).
  • Burial preparations are hurried; artifacts intended for Queen Nefertiti are repurposed ([18:11]).
  • Tutankhamun is buried under a mask that originally bore another name, re-inscribed for him.

Legacy and Global Impact

• Rediscovery and Modern Legacy
  • Carter’s find ignites “Tutmania,” with Carter becoming an international celebrity ([18:51]).
  • Tutankhamun achieves in death a fame unrivaled in pharaonic history ([19:22]).
  • Vivid summation: “With his fall into obscurity and the loss of his tomb to the ages, Tutankhamun dies two deaths, until Howard Carter unearths and immortalizes him” ([18:51]).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Life and Memory ([05:23]):

  • “It is sometimes said that every person dies twice—when they cease to breathe and when the last person who remembers them dies.” — Lindsey Graham

• The Iconic Visor Moment ([06:08]):

  • Lord Carnarvon: “Can you see anything?”
  • Carter: “Yes. Wonderful things.”

• On the Curse ([08:32])

  • Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: “It is neither decent nor safe to take from their resting places the bodies of old kings. The Egyptians knew much more about the occult than we do today. This must have been a peculiar element of an Egyptian curse.”

• On Tutankhamun’s Fame ([19:20]):

  • “What is known of Tutankhamun's life will always be limited, but in death he has achieved a fame far beyond that of any other pharaoh.”

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Key Segment Timestamps

• [00:26] Opening narration – setting the discovery's context
• [04:06] The waterboy’s accidental discovery of the tomb entrance
• [05:23] Carter, Carnarvon, and Evelyn open the tomb; “Wonderful things”
• [07:40] Lord Carnarvon’s sudden death and emerging tales of a curse
• [08:35] Excavation of the inner shrine and sarcophagus
• [12:05] Tutankhamun's reign and the aftermath of Akhenaten’s religious reforms
• [16:37] Carter examines Tutankhamun’s mummy, finds a clubfoot
• [17:47] Theories about Tutankhamun’s death and the hurried burial
• [18:51] Carter's global fame, the rise of "Tutmania," and Tutankhamun's enduring mystique

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Conclusion

The episode artfully blends dramatic, detailed narration with historical insight, painting a vivid picture of both the 1922 discovery and the ancient king whose name would once again echo through history. Lindsay Graham’s storytelling brings Tutankhamun and Howard Carter’s intertwined destinies to life, revealing how a desperate last-ditch dig gave the world one of the most magnificent archaeological finds of all time—and reanimated a forgotten king’s legend, immortalizing him anew for the modern era.

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Transcript

[Narrator]

There are more ways than ever to listen to History Daily ad free. Listen with Wondry plus in the Wondery app as a member of Noiser plus.

[Lindsey Graham]

At noiser.com or in Apple Podcasts.

[Narrator]

Or you can get all of History.

[Lindsey Graham]

Daily plus other fantastic history [e-mail] it's.

[Narrator]

Late October 1922, in Egypt's Valley of the Kings. On the surface, this ancient burial site is a desert wasteland, a harsh, lifeless landscape. But looks can be deceiving. Underneath the earth, this valley contains untold treasures. Sweaty and thirsty diggers hack their way through limestone and marl. Wheelbarrows of dirt are dumped to one side. Most employed here are local Egyptians, but there are some foreigners too. And all are searching for signs of the long lost tombs of the ancient pharaohs. This site, nestled amidst the Thebes hills, is filled with the buried royals of the 18th, 19th and 20th dynasties of ancient Egypt, which reign from 1550 BCE to 1077 BCE regular excavations have been undertaken in the valley since the 1820s. But with valuable discoveries becoming increasingly rare to Today, in the 1920s, many believe the site has no more treasures to reveal. So the English financier of this dig, George Herbert, the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, has declared that this will be his final venture.

[Lindsey Graham]

He will not be funding any further projects.

[Narrator]

And given this, Howard Carter, the British archaeologist in charge of the excavation, is under significant pressure.

[Lindsey Graham]

He's desperate for a discovery.

[Narrator]

But each day, as the season approaches its end, his hopes are dwindling. Archaeologist Howard Carter's dig will continue on for days and weeks without any significant discovery.

[Lindsey Graham]

He will be driven to the brink.

[Narrator]

Of despair, fearing for his career and reputation, until a lowly water boy will come to his rescue, uncovering the best preserved tomb ever found in the Valley of the Kings on November 4th, 1922.

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[Lindsey Graham]

From Noiser and Airship I'm Lindsey Graham and this is History. Daily.

[Narrator]

History is made every day on this podcast. Every day we tell the true stories of the people and events that shaped our world. Today is November 4, 1922 the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb It's November 4, 1922, in Egypt's Valley of the Kings. A 12 year old water boy, Hussein Abdul Razul, leads a donkey into camp with jugs of water strapped to the saddle. Hussein wears a dusty turban and a once white jolly baya, a long cotton shirt and now flecked with dirt and.

[Lindsey Graham]

Sand from his journey.

[Narrator]

Hussein unloads the jugs for the thirsty workmen and plants them firmly in the ground. But as he does so, his hand brushes over a smooth stone just beneath the surface. Quickly scooping and brushing this hand away, he uncovers what appears to be a step. British archaeologist Howard Carter darts over to see the waterboy's discovery. The top of a staircase. A staircase to a lost tomb. The diggers clear sand off the steps and Carter and his team descend carefully and tentatively, their hearts racing. They stop at a sealed entrance. The tomb's door displays a cartouche, a nameplate. It clearly states the identity of the pharaoh interred inside Tutankhamun.

[Lindsey Graham]

It is sometimes said that every person dies twice when they cease to breathe and when the last person who remembers them dies. In 1922, Hussein Abdul Razul and his boss, Howard Carter, resurrect a pharaoh whose name and memory have been forgotten for 3,000 years. But despite their feverish excitement, they cannot enter the tomb. Not yet. Carter insists on waiting for the arrival of his employer, George Herbert, the 5th Earl of Carnarvon. Finally, after two long weeks of waiting, the earl and arrives in Egypt. Clutching flickering lanterns, Carter, Lord Carnarvon and the Earl's daughter Evelyn descend the steep limestone stairs to the dark tomb below. The air is muggy as Carter begins to chisel a hole in the door. Sweat drips off the end of Carter's nose. Lord Carnarvon dabs his dripping brow. Evelyn chews on her lip and grips her father's arm. Finally, Carter breaks through. The hole is big enough that he can pass through a lamp and poke his head through to the other side. Carnarvon asks, can you see anything? And Carter replies, yes. Wonderful things. It truly is an incredible sight. The light from Carter's lantern casts long shadows and reflects against ornate objects. There are golden beds and couches, statues, vases, baskets for food, intricately designed boxes, shrines, chairs, an alabaster cup, and much more. Carter orders the excavation to begin immediately. It will take him years to clear the site. Some 5,000 objects will be meticulously documented and removed from the tomb. Pharaoh's tombs have been uncovered before, but nothing on this scale. It's the kind of hoard every archaeologist dreams of discovering. But then news reaches Carter of an unexpected death, one that threatens the progress of his project. On April 5, 1923, less than six months after the discovery of the tomb, Lord Carnarvon lies in a bed at the Continental Savoy Hotel in Cairo. He suffers from a mosquito bite that gave him blood poisoning. Now he has pneumonia. He's weak, feverish and pale, and there's nothing to be done. Lord Carnarvon succumbs to the illness and dies just months after entering the tomb of Tutankhamun. To Carter's relief, the rights to the dig are retained by Lord Carnarvon's wife, Almina Herbert, which allows the excavation to continue without disruption. Still, Lord Carnarvon's death is sensationalized in the tabloids, with speculation rife that he died because of the curse of of Tutankhamun. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the famous author of the Sherlock Holmes stories, an outspoken spiritualist, believes in the curse, stating it is neither decent nor safe to take from their resting places the bodies of old kings. The Egyptians knew much more about the occult than we do today. This must have been a peculiar element of an Egyptian curse.

[Narrator]

Three years pass, but despite all the.

[Lindsey Graham]

Jewels and trinkets unearthed, Carter and his team still have not laid eyes on the pharaoh himself. The tomb is a layered construction. Everything that has been retrieved so far has come from the outermost sanctum. By October 1925, this antechamber has been cleared. But more walls stand between the archaeologists and the inner burial chamber itself. Their doors are held shut by ebony bolts and silver coated copper staples. It's long, painstaking work to dismantle the shrine walls, which are coated in gold leaf. But finally they reach the treasure within. Behind all the many layers of gilded wall at the heart of this opulent burial chamber is a stone sarcophagus, perfectly intact. Carter's eyes light up when the heavy stone lid is finally removed. Carter leans in for a closer look. Crammed inside the stone box is a large wooden coffin. It too is covered in gold and bears the image of the king himself. After wrenching open the lid, they discover yet another coffin, also made of wood. And inside this, like a Russian nesting doll, is a third and final coffin. This one, however, is made of solid gold inlaid with jewels and modeled in the shape of the human body. And inside, with a groan of effort, the diggers pry open this final casket. And here they find the mummy Tutankhamun's body, wrapped in linen and adorned with precious stones and metals, including an iconic death mask. In the decades following Carter's discovery, historians and archaeologists will attempt to piece together the life of this boy king. They will try to understand why he is almost entirely absent from the historical records. And gradually, a clearer picture will start to emerge.

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Tutankhamun's rule in ancient Egypt begins in 1333 BCE and ends in 1323 BCE, 3245 years before his tomb is discovered.

[Narrator]

Historical records this far back are sparse.

[Lindsey Graham]

But from the fragments that do exist, one can put together an image of his life and reign. His ascension to the divine Kingship at just 8 or 9 years old comes at a time of social and political turmoil in Egypt. He begins his sovereignty in the long shadow of Pharaoh Akhenaten, who ruled for 17 years, exercising an iron grip over his people. It's not certain, but it may well be that Akhenaten was Tutankhamun's father throughout the 18th Dynasty, as this period of history is known. The religious capital of Egypt is Thebes, a thriving city on the Nile River. The political center is Memphis, 20 kilometers or 12 miles south of Egypt's modern capital, Cairo. The spiritual beliefs of the ancient Egyptian people are polytheistic. The many different gods they worship are somewhat similar to the gods of ancient Greece, embodying different aspects of the natural world. They are sometimes benevolent, but often capricious. They are extremely powerful, but not all powerful. Under Pharaoh Akhenaten, all that changes. On orders of their leader, the Egyptian people are forced to abandon their polytheistic traditions. Instead, they are told to focus their spiritual attention on one single God, Aten, the Sun Disk. To enforce this radical and unwelcome change, Egyptian soldiers march through the dusty streets of Thebes. They enter the grand temples of Karnak and Luxor. Priests and worshipers are forced out. The holy places of other deities. Osiris, Horus, Ra, and Anubis are closed, repurposed, or destroyed. Akhenaten, the divine king, the supposed spokesman of Aten, has spoken, and the people must obey. And Akhenaten is not finished yet. In an act of destructive megalomania, he abandons the former capital city of Thebes and orders the construction of a new city named Akhenaten after himself. Construction of this new metropolis takes place in the middle of a scorching desert. There, a young boy with dry, cracked lips labors beneath a blazing sun. His hands are bruised. He struggles to push a cart loaded with rock out of the busy construction site. Overworked and malnourished, the boy collapses and dies face first in burning sand. His body is chucked into an open grave with other dead children, mostly between the ages of 10 and 15. Akhenaten's labor force includes boys as young as 6. Many are worked to death in the name of Aten. Despite the inhumane conditions, an entirely new civilization city is eventually constructed. But Akhenaten hardly gets to enjoy it. He dies at the age of 40 after 16 years on the throne, leaving power to his son, Tutankhamun. After the upheaval and the neglect of the old gods under his predecessor, the new pharaoh puts an end to Akhenaten's heresy. Not only is the construction site deserted, but there is also an initiative to restore the political center of Memphis and the religious capital of Thebes. The sun God is abandoned while the other old gods are restored. These are dramatic changes for a young king to make. But then, as Howard Carter will discover, Tutankhamun is no ordinary king.

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[Lindsey Graham]

In 1925, Howard Carter continues his examination of Tutankhamun's mummified body. He spots an abnormality with the boy king's left foot. It's clubbed.

[Narrator]

The discovery of over 100 walking sticks.

[Lindsey Graham]

And canes in his tomb will give rise to the image of Tutankhamun as a frail boy boy. But another discovery seems to contradict this idea. His tomb is crammed with weapons and depictions of him in battle. Perhaps this pharaoh was not entirely constrained by his physical limitations. And indeed, thousands of years prior to the discovery of his tomb, Tutankhamun's military prowess was put to the test. During Tutankhamun's reign, Nubian colonies threatened Egypt's southern borders. At the same time, Libyan tribes make incursions from the northwest. Whether or not Tutankhamun is a mighty warrior in his time, he certainly needs to project the image of one to keep his enemies at bay. It's believed that Tutankhamun passed away in 1324 BCE, but he likely did not die on the field of battle. Thousands of years later, scientists will use digital imaging and DNA testing to suggest that Kung King Tut, as he's often called, most likely died of an infection, possibly malaria. With no children to carry on the lineage, the pharaoh's death marks the end of the eighteenth dynasty of ancient Egypt. But its premature nature also means that preparations for Tutankhamun's burial are nowhere near complete. Time is precious. The job must be finished while the body can still be preserved. And his tomb needs to be stocked with items that the pharaoh will require in the afterlife. There's no other option but to repurpose pieces from another royal family member, Queen Nefertiti, the wife of Akhenaten. Contemporary examinations of the death mask will reveal that Tutankhamun's name is actually inscribed over the old queen's name. With the tomb finally prepared, Tutankhamun's mummified body is placed. Within the death mask is the final layer covering his visage. The lids are placed on top, the shrines shut and locked. And so they shall remain for another 3,000 years.

[Narrator]

With his fall into obscurity and the loss of his tomb to the ages, Tutankhamun dies. Two deaths until Howard Carter unearths and immortalizes him. Following this discovery, Carter becomes a global celebrity. He embarks on a sold out speaking tour of the United States, writes up his account of the uncovering of the tomb, and plays host to celebrities and royals. He ushers in Tutmania, a cultural obsession with the young pharaoh that continues to this day. What is known of Tutankhamun's life will.

[Lindsey Graham]

Always be limited, but in death, he.

[Narrator]

Has achieved a fame far beyond that of any other pharaoh. All thanks to the discovery of his remarkable tomb on November 4, 1922. Next on History Daily, November 5, 1881, British Armed Forces March on a Maori settlement in New Zealand, evicting 2000 residents and destroying the village. From Noiser and Airship, this is History Daily hosted, edited and executive produced by me, Lindsey Graham. Audio editing by Molly Bond Sound design by Derek Behrens and Molly Bach.

[Lindsey Graham]

Music by Thrum.

[Narrator]

This episode is written and researched by Joe Viner. Executive producers are Steven Walters and William Simpson for Airship and Pascal Hughes for Noiser.