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Incredible Colorized Photos of the Discovery of the Tutankhamun's Tomb in the 1920s

The images Harry Burton captured of Tutankhamun’s tomb at the moment of its discovery have had a profound effect on generations of viewers. This has enabled them to see the wonders that Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon, the Discoverers of the Tomb, were fortunate enough to experience firsthand.

Millions of people have been captivated by Burton’s black and white photographs. Dynamichrome has digitally colored a selection of the original negatives and photos residing in the Griffith Institute, University of Oxford.

#1 Carter and an Egyptian workman examine the third (innermost) coffin (Carter no. 255) made of solid gold, inside the case of the second coffin. Tutankhamun’s Tomb, 30th October 1925

#2 Objects, including the cow-headed couch (Carter no. 73) and boxes containing joints of meat (Carter nos. 62a to 62vv) piled up against the west wall of the Antechamber. Tutankhamun’s Tomb, December 1925

#3 View of the northern wall of the Antechamber showing the sentinel statues (Carter nos. 22 & 29) guarding the sealed doorway leading to the King’s Burial Chamber. Tutankhamun’s Tomb, December 1925

#4 Objects stacked under the lion couch (Carter no. 35) against the west wall of the Antechamber. Tutankhamun’s Tomb, December 1925

Objects stacked under the lion couch (Carter no. 35) against the west wall of the Antechamber. Tutankhamun's Tomb, December 1925

Included an ivory and ebony chest (Carter no. 32), black 'shrine-shaped boxes' (Carter nos. 37 and 38) and a child's chair made of ebony (Carter no. 39).

#5 The rectangular white box (Carter no. 50), in front of the lion couch (Carter no. 35) in the Antechamber. Tutankhamun’s Tomb, December 1925

The rectangular white box (Carter no. 50), in front of the lion couch (Carter no. 35) in the Antechamber. Tutankhamun's Tomb, December 1925

It contained amongst other items, linen garments (shirts, shawls and loin cloths), 18 sticks, 69 arrows and a trumpet.

#6 Howard Carter (on the left) working with his friend and colleague Arthur Callender on wrapping one of two sentinel statues of Tutankhamun (Carter no. 22) found in the Antechamber. Tutankhamun’s Tomb, December 1925

Howard Carter (on the left) working with his friend and colleague Arthur Callender on wrapping one of two sentinel statues of Tutankhamun (Carter no. 22) found in the Antechamber. Tutankhamun's Tomb, December 1925

Bbefore 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.

#7 The linen pall, decorated with bronze ‘rosettes’ (Carter no. 209) inside the walls of the first (outermost) golden shrine (Carter no. 207) in the north west corner of the Burial Chamber. Tutankhamun’s Tomb, December 1923

#8 A line of chests down the centre of the Treasury, ending with the canopic chest (Carter no. 266). Tutankhamun’s Tomb, October 1926

A line of chests down the centre of the Treasury, ending with the canopic chest (Carter no. 266). Tutankhamun's Tomb, October 1926

It housed the king's linen-wrapped stomach, intestines, liver and lungs in miniature gold coffins, inside an alabaster canopic box.

#9 Three wooden chests (the middle one in the shape of a cartouche) on the floor of the Treasury (Carter nos. 267, 269 and 270). Tutankhamun’s Tomb, October 1926

Three wooden chests (the middle one in the shape of a cartouche) on the floor of the Treasury (Carter nos. 267, 269 and 270). Tutankhamun's Tomb, October 1926

Amongst other items these contained earrings, sandals and a wax model of a heron.

#10 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. Tutankhamun’s Tomb, October 1925

#11 Arthur Mace (left) and Alfred Lucas 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.

#12 Howard Carter (left), Arthur Mace and an Egyptian workman standing on scaffolding, roll back the linen pall (Carter no. 209). Tutankhamun’s Tomb, 30th December 1923

Howard Carter (left), Arthur Mace and an Egyptian workman standing on scaffolding, roll back the linen pall (Carter no. 209). Tutankhamun's Tomb, 30th December 1923

It lay over a gilded, wooden frame (Carter no. 208) between the first (outermost) and second shrines.

#13 Objects, including numerous model boats (Carter nos. 284 to 287), stacked against the southern wall of the Treasury. Tutankhamun’s Tomb, November 1926

#14 Sealed alabaster ‘unguent’ vases (Carter nos. 57, 58, 60 and 61) between the cow-headed (Carter no. 73) and lion (Carter no. 35) couches against the west wall of the Antechamber. Tutankhamun’s Tomb, December 1922

#15 The Anubis shrine (Carter no. 261) on the threshold of the Treasury viewed from the Burial Chamber.

The Anubis shrine (Carter no. 261) on the threshold of the Treasury viewed from the Burial Chamber.

The figure of Anubis was covered with a linen shirt inscribed with the cartouche of Akhenaten.

#16 Howard Carter (kneeling), Arthur Callender and an Egyptian workman in the Burial Chamber, looking through the open doors of the four gilded shrines towards the quartzite sarcophagus. Tutankhamun’s Tomb, October 1926

#17 Arthur Mace (standing) and Alfred Lucas (sitting) working inside the makeshift ‘laboratory’ (set up in KV 15, the tomb of Sethos II) on the conservation of one of the two sentinel statues from the Antechamber (Carter no. 22). Sethos II’s Tomb, 4th January 1923

Arthur Mace (standing) and Alfred Lucas (sitting) working inside the makeshift 'laboratory' (set up in KV 15, the tomb of Sethos II) on the conservation of one of the two sentinel statues from the Antechamber (Carter no. 22). Sethos II's Tomb, 4th January 1923

The statue shows the King wearing the nemes headdress, kilt and sandals, and carrying a mace and a staff.

#18 The gold mask (Carter no. 256a) in situ on the mummy of the King, still inside the third (innermost) solid gold coffin (Carter no. 255). Tutankhamun’s Tomb, 30th October 1925

#19 Howard Carter (centre), Arthur Callender and two Egyptian workmen lifting one roof section from the first, outermost shrine (Carter no. 207). Tutankhamun’s Tomb, December 1923

Howard Carter (centre), Arthur Callender and two Egyptian workmen lifting one roof section from the first, outermost shrine (Carter no. 207). Tutankhamun's Tomb, December 1923

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.

#20 Howard Carter (at the top of the stairs), Arthur Callender and Egyptian workmen removing the wall between the Antechamber and the Burial Chamber to enable the dismantling of the four golden shrines enclosing the sarcophagus. Tutankhamun’s Tomb, 2nd December 1923

#21 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.

Written by Jacob Aberto

Sincere, friendly, curious, ambitious, enthusiast. I'm a content crafter and social media expert. I love Classic Movies because their dialogue, scenery and stories are awesome.

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