pharaoh (Silverman, 1976). The innermost coffin was made of pure gold and contained his body in which he was wearing the infamous gold mask. At every corner of the coffin was a god or goddess in which protected the mummy.
This was the first time the undisturbed burial traditions for Pharaoh could be observed in 33 centuries. It is traditionally
thought that a 'curse' is brought upon those who were involved with the excavation (MacQuitty, 1972).
The doorless treasury was at the end of the burial chamber. Even though it had no decorative walls, this is where it was believed to have the greatest treasures and is thought to be the most symbolic. The treasury was mainly filled with items such as shrines, chests, boats, and two of Tutankhamun's stillborn daughters. There was also the canopic shrine made out of wood and gold that had four goddesses on each side, with arms wide open, in which contained his organs. Some say these were there in order to protect the pharaoh's organs and to scare or fend off any bad spirits (Edwards, 1976). One examples of an items that the Egyptians thought contributed to the protection of the pharaoh were the statues of Anubis.
Anubis, the jackal god, was the guardian of the dead and he was thought to protect the entrance of the treasury (Reeves, 1990). They also found 14 model boats. The boats were seen as a helping hand to get to the afterlife (Griffith, 2001). It is recorded that there were roughly 500 individual pieces that were purely funerary in nature or of intense religious character.
o The last room that was discovered in Tutankhamun's tomb was the Annexe. Although this was the smallest room, it contained over 2000 artifacts. Things such as oils, foods, wines, pottery, dishes, stools, games, and baskets were common among the items found here. Howard suggested that this might have been a storage chamber as the grave goods were varied and overflowing into the antechamber (MacQuitty, 1972). It is also suggested that this mess might have been made by the thieves or security guards that were rushing to get the stolen items back to the king.
Having one of the most complete and intact Egyptian tombs has helped erase a non significant time as a pharaoh. Tutankhamun is now one of the world's most known pharaoh's after Howard Carter discovered the treasure filled tomb. Even though Tutankhamun has one of the smallest tombs compared to other pharaohs, the treasure inside makes up for it. This four chambered tomb was filled with items that served purpose to not only protect and guard the mummy, but help succeed and thrive in the afterlife. As we continue to unlock some of the secrets about the pharaohs in Egypt, one thing for certain is that they are magnificent to look at and explore as tombs give us insight to their culture, way of life and beliefs, while alive and after death.
"Yes, wonderful things"
-Carter