Emily Chan
Over a century ago, a British archaeologist named Howard Carter and his team discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun, the boy king of Egypt, in the Valley of the Kings.
Unlike the tombs of other ancient Egyptian pharaohs that have been looted or destroyed by floods, King Tut’s was loaded with treasures that were relatively intact. After excavations were completed, researchers found more than 5,000 artifacts in King Tut’s tomb.
Some of the objects from the collection are widely known, such as his solid gold coffin and funerary mask.
But there are many other smaller items in the tomb that have helped contribute to our knowledge of the young ruler, who died at 19.
Here are five of the less famous but equally fascinating finds that have offered significant insight into King Tut’s life.
Linen Scarf
Which one seems out of place— a gold-plated leopard head, intricate ceremonial objects, or a simple linen scarf?
These are the items that were found in a small fancy wooden chest made from cedar and ebony. When archaeologists unknotted the scarf, they saw that several gold rings were tucked into the folds of the fabric. But why were the scarf and rings in the wooden chest, and how did they get there?
After piecing together some other clues, it became clear that King Tut’s tomb had not been left alone all these years.
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