Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter removing the sealed doorway leading into Tutankhamun's Burial Chamber

• Lord Carnarvon (on left) looks over the partly removed sealed doorway (Carter no. 028) between the Antechamber and the Burial Chamber in Tutankhamun's tomb, with Howard Carter next to him. They stand on a wooden platform which was specially constructed for the occasion. The side of the first (outer) shrine over the sarcophagus was immediately behind the blocking, but it is not yet visible on this photograph.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: February 16th, 1923
• Burton photo. p0289.

Howard Carter and Arthur Mace removing the sealed doorway leading into Tutankhamun's Burial Chamber

• Howard Carter (on the left) standing in the doorway between the Antechamber and the Burial Chamber in Tutankhamun's tomb. Standing next to him is Arthur Mace, a close colleague of Carter's and a former student of Flinders Petrie. Carter and Mace co-authored the first volume of the popular publication 'The Tomb of Tut.ankh.Amen'.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: February 16th, 1923
• Burton photo. p0290.

Friday, 16th February 1923, the opening of the Burial chamber

• One of only two images (the other is p0289) showing Howard Carter (on the left) and Lord Carnarvon together in Tutankhamun's tomb; they stand in the partially dismantled doorway (Carter no. 028) between the Antechamber and the Burial Chamber. Lord Carnarvon died less than two months after this photograph was taken.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: February 16th, 1923
• Burton photo. p0291.
• Colourised version

Howard Carter and Arthur Callender working in the Antechamber of the tomb.

• Howard Carter (on the left) working with Arthur Callender (in the middle) and an Egyptian team member (on right), on wrapping one (Carter no. 022) of two sentinel statues of Tutankhamun found in the Antechamber, before their removal to the 'laboratory' set up in the tomb of Sethos II (KV 15). These statues had been placed either side of the sealed entrance to the Burial Chamber.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: November 29th, 1923
• Burton photo. p0491.
• Colourised version

Conservation work in the 'laboratory' (KV 15).

• Arthur Mace (standing) and Alfred Lucas (sitting) working in the makeshift 'laboratory' (set up in KV 15, the tomb of Sethos II) conserving one of the sentinel statues from the Antechamber (Carter no. 022). The statue shows the King wearing the nemes headdress, kilt and sandals and carrying a mace and staff.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: January 1924 (probably)
• Burton photo. p0493.
• Colourised version

Carter and Callender wrapping objects before their removal from the tomb.

• Howard Carter (on the right) working with his friend and collegue, Arthur Callender, on wrapping one of the two sentinel statues of the King (Carter no. 029) found in the Antechamber before its removal to the 'laboratory' set up in the tomb of Sethos II (KV 15). The statue shows the King wearing a headress, kilt and sandals and carrying a mace and staff.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: November 30th, 1923
• Burton photo. p0497.

Carter and Callender wrapping objects before their removal from the tomb.

• Howard Carter (on the left) working with his friend and collegue, Arthur Callender, on wrapping one of the two sentinel statues of the King (Carter no. 029) before its removal to the 'laboratory' set up in the tomb of Sethos II (KV 15). These statues, found in the Antechamber, were flanking the door leading into the Burial Chamber. The wall of the outermost shrine (Carter no. 207) can be clearly seen in the background.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: November 30th, 1923
• Burton photo. p0498.

Carter removing the partition wall between the Antechamber and the Burial Chamber.

• Howard Carter with Egyptian team members removing the partition wall to enable the dismantling of the four golden shrines enclosing the sarcophagus. This wall was constructed from wood and masonry then covered on both sides by thick plaster (see Burton photo. p0505) and separated the Antechamber from the Burial Chamber.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: December 1st, 1923
• Burton photo. p0501.

Carter removing the partition wall between the Antechamber and the Burial Chamber.

• Howard Carter (on the left), assisted by Arthur Callender and an Egyptian team member, removing the partition wall to enable the dismantling of the four golden shrines enclosing the sarcophagus. This wall, constructed from wood and masonry and covered on both sides by thick plaster (see Burton photo. p0505), separated the Antechamber from the Burial Chamber.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: December 1st, 1923
• Burton photo. p0502.

Removing the partition wall between the Antechamber and the Burial Chamber.

• Egyptian team members breaking down the partition wall to enable the dismantling of the four golden shrines enclosing the sarcophagus. This wall, constructed from wood and masonry and covered on both sides by thick plaster (see Burton photo. p0505), separated the Antechamber from the Burial Chamber.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: December 1st, 1923
• Burton photo. p0503.

Removing the partition wall between the Antechamber and the Burial Chamber .

• Egyptian team members removing the partition wall to enable the dismatling of the four golden shrines enclosing the sarcophagus. This ancient wall was constructed from wood and masonry, then covered on both sides by thick plaster (see Burton photo. p0505) and separated the Antechamber from the Burial Chamber.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: December 1st, 1923
• Burton photo. p0504.

Removing the partition wall between the Antechamber and the Burial Chamber .

• Howard Carter (at the top of the stairs), Arthur Callender and Egyptian team members removing the wall
  between the Antechamber and the Burial Chamber to enable the dismantling of the four golden shrines enclosing the sarcophagus.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: December 2nd, 1923
• Burton photo. p0509.
• Colourised version

Removing the partition wall between the Antechamber and the Burial Chamber .

• Howard Carter (at the top of the stairs), Arthur Callender and Egyptian team members removing the wall
  between the Antechamber and the Burial Chamber to enable the dismantling of the four golden shrines enclosing the sarcophagus.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: December 2nd, 1923
• Burton photo. p0510.

Conservation work on a chariot.

• Arthur Mace (left) and Alfred Lucas (right) working outside the 'laboratory' set up in the tomb of Sethos II (KV 15), stabilizing the surface of one of the state chariots (Carter no. 120) found in the Antechamber.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: November/December, 1923
• Burton photo. p0517.
• Colourised version

Dismantling one of the golden shrines.

• Howard Carter (centre), Arthur Callender and two Egyptian team members lifting one roof section from the first, outermost shrine (Carter no. 207). With its double sloping roof, the shape of this shrine resembles that of a 'sed festival pavilion', it was made of from twenty separate oak sections, held together by a variety of different joints.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: December 16th, 22nd or 23rd, 1923
• Burton photo. p0605.
• Colourised version

Dismantling one of the golden shrines.

• Arthur Callender and two Egyptian team members lifting one roof section from the first, outermost shrine (Carter no. 207). With its double sloping roof, the shape of this shrine resembles that of a 'sed festival pavilion'.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: December 16th, 22nd or 23rd, 1923
• Burton photo. p0608.

Dismantling one of the golden shrines.

• Howard Carter (on right), Arthur Callender and an Egyptian team member lifting one roof section from the first, outermost shrine (Carter no. 207). With its double sloping roof, the shape of this shrine resembles that of a 'sed festival pavilion'.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: December 16th, 22nd or 23rd, 1923
• Burton photo. p0609.

Dismantling one of the golden shrines.

• Two Egyptian team members carefully removing a section of the roof from the first, outermost shrine (Carter no. 207), and transferring it from the Burial Chamber to the Antechamber.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: December 16th, 22nd or 23rd, 1923
• Burton photo. p0610.

Removing the linen pall.

• Howard Carter (left), Arthur Mace (middle) and an Egyptian team member standing on scaffolding, roll back the linen pall (Carter no. 209) which lay over a gilded, wooden frame (Carter no. 208) between the first (outermost) and second shrines.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: December 30th, 1923
• Burton photo. p0618.

Removing the linen pall.

• Howard Carter (left), Arthur Mace (middle) and an Egyptian team member (right) standing on scaffolding, roll back the linen pall (Carter no. 209) which lay over a gilded, wooden frame (Carter no. 208) between the first (outermost) and second shrines.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: December 30th, 1923
• Burton photo. p0619.
• Colourised version

Removing the linen pall.

• Howard Carter (left), Arthur Mace (middle) and an Egyptian team member (right) standing on scaffolding, roll back the linen pall (Carter no. 209) which lay over a gilded, wooden frame (Carter no. 208) between the first (outermost) and second shrines.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: December 30th, 1923
• Burton photo. p0620.

Examining the linen pall.

• Professor Newberry and Mrs Newberry laying out the brown linen pall (Carter no. 209) found covering a gilded, wooden framework (Carter no. 208) between the first (outermost) and second shrines. This is taking place after the pall had been removed from the tomb.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: January 30th, 1924
• Burton photo. p0622.

Examining the linen pall.

• Professor Newberry and Mrs Newberry laying out the brown linen pall (Carter no. 209) found covering a gilded, wooden framework (Carter no. 208) between the first (outermost) and second shrines. This is taking place after the pall had been removed from the tomb.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: January 30th, 1923
• Burton photo. p0623.

The golden shrines.

• Howard Carter looking through the doors of the second shrine (Carter no. 237). This shrine was constructed
  from sixteen separate parts, gilded on both the inside and the outside. It has sloping sides with a cavetto cornice and a single sloping roof.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: January 4th, 1924
• Burton photo. p0626.
• Colourised version

Dismantling the golden shrines.

• Howard Carter and two Egyptian team members moving part of the roof of the first (outermost) shrine (Carter no. 207). With its double sloping roof, the shape of this shrine resembles a 'sed festival pavilion'.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: January, 1924
• Burton photo. p0634.

Carter writing notes.

• Howard Carter recording notes whilst sitting amongst wrapped sections of the gilded shrines in the Antechamber where they were stored until their removal to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo in 1930-2.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: February, 1924
• Burton photo. p0636.

Carter writing notes.

• Howard Carter recording notes whilst sitting in the Antechamber amongst wrapped sections of the gilded shrines. Once dismatled, over half a ton of paraffin wax was needed to stabilize these panels before they could be removed from the tomb.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: February, 1924
• Burton photo. p0637.

Looking at the sarcophagus.

• Howard Carter (centre), Arthur Callender, Alfred Mace (kneeling) and two Egyptian team members
  in the Burial Chamber, looking through the open doors of the four gilded shrines, towards the quartzite
  sarcophagus.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: January 4th, 1924
• Burton photo. p0642.

Looking at the sarcophagus.

• Howard Carter (kneeling), Arthur Callender and an Egyptian team member in the Burial Chamber,
  looking through the open doors of the four gilded shrines, towards the quartzite
  sarcophagus.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: January 4th, 1924
• Burton photo. p0643.
• Colourised version

Examining the coffins.

• Howard Carter working on the lid of the second (middle) coffin still nestled within the case of the first (outermost) coffin in the Burial chamber.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: October, 1925
• Burton photo. p0720.

Examining the coffins.

• Howard Carter working on the lid of the second (middle) coffin still nestled within the case of the first (outermost) coffin in the Burial chamber.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: October, 1925
• Burton photo. p0720-2.
• Colourised version

Examining the coffins.

• Howard Carter working on the lid of the second (middle) coffin still nestled within the case of the first (outermost) coffin in the Burial chamber.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: October, 1925
• Burton photo. p0721.

Examining the body of the King.

• The autopsy of King Tutankhamun's body performed in the 'laboratory' set up in the tomb of Sethos II (KV 15). Douglas Derry makes the first incision, with Howard Carter (holding a magnifying glass) assisting. Also present are Pierre Lacau, Saleh Bey Hamdi and several Egyptain dignitaries.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: November 11th, 1925
• Burton photo. p0939.
• Colourised version

Lunch in the tomb.

• Lunch in the tomb of Ramesses XI (KV 4), a photograph taken by Lord Carnarvon. The diners are (left to right) James Henry Breasted, Harry Burton, Alfred Lucas, Arthur Callender, Arthur Mace, Howard Carter and Alan Gardiner.
• Photographer: Lord Carnarvon.
• Date: Early 1923
• Burton photo. p1544.
• Colourised version

Waiting to begin the examination of the mummy.

• Waiting to begin the examination of the King's mummy in the 'laboratory' set up in the tomb of Sethos II (KV 15). Those present are, from left to right, Mohamed Chaban (Assistant Curator, Cairo Museum) [just visable], Saleh Pasha Anan (Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Public Works) [arms folded across chest], Dr Douglas Derry (Professor, Anatomy School of Medicine, Cairo) [wearing white jacket], Dr Saleh Bey Hamdi (Chief Inspector, Alexandria Sanitary Services) [with hands clasped together], Alfred Lucas [at back, head visable above Hamdi's shoulder], Sayid Fuad Bey el-Kholi (Governor, Qena Province) [with hands in pockets and visable watch-chain], Tewfik Effendi Boulos (Chief Inspector of Upper Egypt) [at back, wearing tie with diagonal stripes], Hamid Effendi Suliman (Technical Office, Public Works Ministry) [wearing tie with horizontal stripes], Howard Carter [wearing bowtie and glasses], and Pierre Lacau [with beard and holding glasses] (info. Hend Mohammed, March 2020).
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: November 11th, 1925
• Burton photo. p1559.

Examining the coffins.

• Howard Carter working on the lid of the second (middle) coffin still nestled within the case of the first (outermost) coffin in the Burial chamber.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: October, 1925
• Burton photo. p1568.

The golden shrines.

• Howard Carter looking through the open doors of the second, outermost shrine (Carter no. 237).
  This shrine was made up of sixteen separate parts, gilded on both the inside and the outside, and had
  a single sloping roof.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: January 4th, 1924
• Burton photo. p1588.

Waiting to begin the examination of the mummy.

• Waiting to begin the examination of the King's mummy in the 'laboratory' set up in tomb of Sethos II (KV 15). On the left, Douglas Derry (in the white jacket) with Saleh Bey Hamdi (right side of Derry), and on the right are Pierre Lacau and Howard Carter, with Egyptian dignitaries.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: November 11th, 1925
• Burton photo. p1726.

Visitors to the tomb.

• Howard Carter with a party of Egyptian Government officials on a visit to the tomb,
  standing outside the entrance in the modern enclosure wall surrounding Tutankhamun's
  tomb.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: not known.
• Burton photo. p1761.

Examining the coffins.

• Howard Carter working on the lid of the second (middle) coffin still nestled within the case of the first (outermost) coffin in the Burial chamber.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: October, 1925
• Burton photo. p1853.

Official visitors.

• Howard Carter and Egyptian officials standing outside the tomb of Sethos II (KV 15). During the excavation of Tutankhamun's tomb, this was used as a makeshift 'laboratory'. Note the numbered wooden boxes in the forground. These contain some of the objects from the tomb which have been crated ready for transportation by boat down the Nile to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: probably 1925
• Burton photo. pkv86.

Official visitors.

• Howard Carter (in the centre, wearing a bow-tie), Pierre Lacau (in the centre, foreground), an unidentified woman and Egyptian officials standing outside the tomb of Sethos II (KV 15).
  During the excavation of Tutankhamun's tomb, this was used as a makeshift
  'laboratory'.
• Photographer: Harry Burton.
• Date: probably 1925
• Burton photo. pkv87.

Lord Carnarvon.

• Herbert George Edward Stanhope Molyneux, 5th Earl of Carnarvon, reading on the verandah of 'Castle Carter', Carter's house at Elwat el-Dibbân on the Theban west bank.
• Photographer: Probably Harry Burton.
• Date: perhaps early 1923
• Burton photo. pkv93.
• Colourised version

(December 21, 2007; last updated August 30, 2017)

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