The Legacy of Howard Carter
When many people think of Howard Carter they think of an Indiana Jones type of figure; brave, fearless, personable and suave. After all, this man discovered the last great treasure trove of the modern age, King Tutankhamun’s final resting place. The massive implications and grandeur of his find however may have rubbed off on him, as some claim Carter is not at all worthy of the fame and praise lavished upon him. So, was Carter a hero of modern archeology? Or was he a lying, cheating rather smelly camel’s bum?
In November of 1922 Howard Carter entered the tomb of King Tutankhamun to behold an entire treasure trove of “Wonderful things”. However, he reported that the tomb had been ransacked. “Chests had been rifled through and stoppers pulled from alabaster vases and thrown to the ground” (Schulz 2) In fact, according to Carter the whole tomb had been plundered multiple times very soon after its original sealing. Interestingly enough, according to the excavation licenses at the time only if the tomb had been previously defiled could the discoverer half out the country. So the motivation for lying certainly would be there.
Over the years since the tomb of the great King Tut was opened, interesting things about Howard Carter have come to light. For example artifacts have popped up all around the world that could only have come from the tomb of King Tutankhamun. Artifacts have shown up in Germany, Kansas City and Paris, things that only could have come from the Tomb of King Tut. In fact, records state that Carter gave various artifacts to his secretary, dentist and even an oil merchant.
The results of this is something that the effects are felt even to this day. We will never now know what King Tut’s tomb looked like in its undisturbed state. The chance we had to see what a complete Egyptian burial consisted of was utterly destroyed by a man who’s name is Howard Carter. Unfortunately though, there seems to always be someone who is in a better economic
In November of 1922 Howard Carter entered the tomb of King Tutankhamun to behold an entire treasure trove of “Wonderful things”. However, he reported that the tomb had been ransacked. “Chests had been rifled through and stoppers pulled from alabaster vases and thrown to the ground” (Schulz 2) In fact, according to Carter the whole tomb had been plundered multiple times very soon after its original sealing. Interestingly enough, according to the excavation licenses at the time only if the tomb had been previously defiled could the discoverer half out the country. So the motivation for lying certainly would be there.
Over the years since the tomb of the great King Tut was opened, interesting things about Howard Carter have come to light. For example artifacts have popped up all around the world that could only have come from the tomb of King Tutankhamun. Artifacts have shown up in Germany, Kansas City and Paris, things that only could have come from the Tomb of King Tut. In fact, records state that Carter gave various artifacts to his secretary, dentist and even an oil merchant.
The results of this is something that the effects are felt even to this day. We will never now know what King Tut’s tomb looked like in its undisturbed state. The chance we had to see what a complete Egyptian burial consisted of was utterly destroyed by a man who’s name is Howard Carter. Unfortunately though, there seems to always be someone who is in a better economic