In the autumn of 1925, nearly three years after the sensational discovery of Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s tomb in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, British archaeologist Howard Carter and his team reached one of the most anticipated moments of the entire excavation: the unwrapping and examination of the young king’s mummified remains.
The tomb of Tutankhamun (KV62), unearthed on November 4, 1922, by Carter under the patronage of Lord Carnarvon, proved to be one of the most intact royal burials ever found from ancient Egypt. Sealed for over 3,300 years since the pharaoh’s death around 1323 BCE at approximately age 19, it contained thousands of extraordinary artifacts, from gilded chariots and intricate jewelry to nested coffins protecting the royal mummy.
The process of accessing the mummy itself unfolded carefully over several stages. By October 1925, during the fourth excavation season, Carter’s team had already dismantled the series of gilded wooden shrines surrounding the sarcophagus in the burial chamber. They lifted the heavy quartzite lid of the sarcophagus to reveal three anthropoid coffins nested one inside another—like Russian dolls—each more elaborate than the last.
The outermost two coffins were made of wood covered in gold leaf and inlaid with precious materials, but the innermost coffin was crafted from solid gold, weighing over 100 kilograms. Inside lay Tutankhamun’s mummy, adorned with a famous death mask of solid gold, inlaid with lapis lazuli, carnelian, obsidian, and other gemstones. The mask, depicting the youthful pharaoh as Osiris, had been placed directly over his face.
However, ancient priests’ libations of oils and resins—intended to preserve and honor the body—had hardened over millennia, causing the mummy to adhere firmly to the bottom of the innermost coffin. Removing it required delicate work under challenging conditions in the hot, confined tomb.
The formal unwrapping and autopsy of the mummy took place over seven days from November 11 to 19, 1925, in the tomb’s outer corridor (using KV15 for space). Carter documented the process meticulously in his journals, producing detailed notes and “autopsy drawings” that recorded the positions of over 140 amulets, jewelry pieces, and sacred symbols placed on the body for protection in the afterlife. These included scarabs, pectorals, and other talismans meant to safeguard the king on his journey through the underworld.
The examination revealed the mummy’s fragile state: the resins had darkened the wrappings, and attempts to separate the body from the coffin led to some damage, including breakage of limbs. Despite this, the process provided invaluable insights into ancient Egyptian mummification techniques, royal adornments, and even the young pharaoh’s health.
These historic events were captured in black-and-white photographs by Harry Burton, the official expedition photographer, and in limited early film footage. For decades, the dramatic scenes remained confined to ghostly monochrome images.
Modern technology has changed that. In National Geographic’s “King Tut in Color” project (also known as “Tutankhamun in Colour”), cutting-edge colorization techniques—guided by historical research on materials, fabrics, skin tones, metals, and pigments—have transformed these archival records into vibrant, lifelike visuals. Egyptologist Elizabeth Frood and others have narrated segments that allow viewers to witness the excavation exactly as Carter and his team experienced it: the gleam of gold, the rich hues of inlays, and the intricate details of the treasures emerging from the darkness.
The short video segment titled “The Excavation of Tutankhamun’s Mummy | King Tut in Color,” released by National Geographic, focuses on these climactic moments—lifting coffin lids, revealing the wrapped mummy, and exposing the iconic gold mask. With millions of views, it revives the wonder of one of archaeology’s greatest finds, making a century-old discovery feel immediate and alive once more.
Thanks to such efforts, the world can now marvel at Tutankhamun’s burial not just through faded photographs, but in the full splendor that greeted Howard Carter in 1925—a testament to both ancient Egyptian artistry and the enduring power of modern restoration techniques.
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