Tutankhamun: The Tomb of Egypt's Boy King

In 1922, archaeolgists discovered the entrance to an ancient tomb in Egypt. The tomb, or grave, belonged to King Tutankhamun, a young leader who lived over 3,000 years ago. Some of the most famous and cherished Egyptian artifacts were found buried in King Tut's tomb. Find out what archaeologists learned about ancient Egypt and the young king.

What Was in the Tomb
Ancient Egyptians believed that a person could use the things in their tomb in the afterlife. To make sure King Tut had everything he would need, the Egyptians put vast amounts of gold in his tomb. These riches were meant to help Tutankhamun live comfortably in the afterlife. Tut's grave also held many statues, some that had religious meanings and some that were mostly for decoration.

Gold and statues weren't the only things the Egyptians believed Tut would need in the afterlife. His tomb also contained many more practical day-to-day items. Archaeologists found dismantled chariots and various pieces of furniture. The Egyptians included many stone and clay jars in the grave that held various materials for everyday use such as cooking oil, perfume, fruit, meat and vegetables.

Even the everyday items in Tut's tomb had elaborate decorations. Egyptians carved and painted figures of animals that were important to their religion including scarab beetles, cats, lions and cobras. There were also many human figures both painted on the walls and carved into artifacts. They often showed Tutankhamun defeating enemies in battle or sitting on his throne.

What the Artifacts Teach Us
Some of the first things archaeologists learned about King Tut involved his diet. Based on the variety of meats, fruits and vegetables in the tomb, it is clear that the king had a varied diet. Other containers held clothes that reveal Tut's style of dress. Many shirts, kilts and sandals were found in the tomb. These objects provide some basic information about Egyptian society 3,000 years ago.

Other artifacts from King Tut's tomb help us understand what an ancient Egyptian would do for fun. Several board games similar to Parcheesi and backgammon were found buried in the grave. When he wasn't playing board games, King Tut may have enjoyed sports. His tomb contains bows and arrows, shields and slingshots that would have been used to hunt for sport. Finally, a number of instruments were buried at the site. These included two trumpets and a musical rattle called a 'sistrum.'

One of the most interesting parts of investigating Tutankhamun's tomb is trying to find out how he died. Some people believed that he was murdered when someone hit him in the back of the head. Archaeologists recently studied Tut's body using a CT scan, which is similar to a three-dimensional X-ray. This study confirmed that if he was struck in the head, the wound was not serious enough to kill him. Scientists believe the young king died when he was about 20 years old, possibly from an infected wound on his left leg.