Howard Carter: biography, photo, contribution to the study of history. Howard Carter and the tomb of Tutankhamun

Despite the fact that, since the day when Howard Carter found the tomb of Tutankhamen, nearly a century has passed, interest in the discovery of this English archaeologist has not died out. This is evidenced by endless queues for exhibitions of exhibits from the famous tomb, held periodically in major museums around the world. This is not surprising, since this is the most significant find ever made in Egypt.

Howard Carter, biography of the future scientist

In 1874, a large son of a well-known English animal painter Samuel Carter, who lived in Norfolk County, was born a son named Howard. When the child grew up, his father made every effort to give him a home education, allowing him to take a worthy place in society. Having found out the son's ability to draw, Samuel tried to instill in him skills in this art.

Thanks to his father's connections in the scientific world, 17-year-old Howard Carter took part for the first time in an archaeological expedition that went to Egypt under the leadership of the leading Egyptologist of the time Flinders Petri. He was entrusted with the duties of a draftsman, which allowed the young man to come in close contact with the objects of long-gone epochs, and to feel the exciting sense of discovery. This trip was also an excellent school for the future archaeologist.

The beginning of a scientific career

Since then, Carter's life has been completely devoted to the study of antiquities hidden in the sands of the Nile Valley. Two years after his scientific debut in the Petri expedition, he becomes a participant in another major project implemented by the Egyptian Archeology Foundation. These were the research works conducted in the terrace memorial temple of Queen Hatshepsut in the west of Thebes. They brought the young scientist first glory.

The fame he gained in academia allowed Carter to occupy a quite respectable place in society in 1899, becoming the general inspector of the Egyptian Antiquities Department. This period includes a number of discoveries made by him, among which the most famous is the tomb of Saint-Nef in Qurna.

Such a high post he held until 1905, when he was forced to resign - according to one version as a result of the conflict with one of the influential press, on the other, after famously pacified the company of drunken Frenchmen who arranged a rowdy in the territory of one of the historical Complexes. Interrupting his administrative activities, archaeologist Howard Carter does not stop scientific research and is engaged in painting.

The beginning of cooperation with Lord Carnarvon

In the new, in 1906, an event took place that largely determined the fate of Carter and predetermined the main discovery of his life. At one of the sessions of the British scientific society, Howard was presented to the amateur archaeologist and collector of antiquities, Lord Carnarvon, who became his friend and sponsor for many years.

The official permission to conduct excavations was received only by new friends in 1919, when the term of concession of the former producer of scientific researches in this area of T. Davis ended. By this time, several generations of archaeologists had had time to dig in the Valley of Virgins, and it was believed that its resources were completely exhausted. However, the arguments of the skeptics did not convince Carter. A detailed study of the valley showed that there were still enough places left untouched by the scientists. These were mostly plots covered with a layer of rubble left over from previous excavations.

Scientific hypotheses of Carter

Comparing the finds of the former mummies found in the Valley of the Virgin, with information about the possible burial places that the scientists had at their disposal, Howard Carter came to the conclusion that there is still another mummy in the earth that is not found and, apparently, of the greatest interest for scientists. As an astronomer, before discovering a new star by a telescope, theoretically on paper it proves its existence, and Carter on the basis of previously accumulated knowledge came to the conviction of the existence of an unknown tomb. Simply put, before finding the tomb of Tutankhamun, Carter calculated it.

However, in order for the reasoning, even the most convincing, to turn into tangible fruits, there was a lot of work to be done, and Carter was mainly doing it. His companion confined himself to general control over the excavations carried out, and financing them. We must give him his due - without his money, as without Carter's energy, the world would not have seen the treasure of Tutankhamun for a long time.

Beginning of practical activities

The complexity of the scientists and the First World War, which began soon, added complexity. Excavations in this period, although carried out, but occasionally and with great interruptions. As a person liable for military service, Carter could not devote all his time to his favorite business. The grave robbers that activated their actions created great hindrances to works during the war years. Taking advantage of the fact that due to military actions the state weakened control over the preservation of antiquities, they unceremoniously hosted them, creating a threat to the life and safety of researchers.

Only in 1917 it was possible to begin cleaning the bottom of the Valley of the maidens from the layers of gravel accumulated here over the centuries. For the excavations selected site limited to three tombs: Ramses II, Ramses VI and Mernept. Over the next four years, works that were conducted with great tension and demanded many thousands of pounds sterling, did not bring any tangible results.

last try

Failures that have haunted archaeologists for the past few years have led Lord Carnarvon to despair. Inviting a companion in the summer of 1922 to his family estate, he announced to him about the intention to finish the works, which did not seem to promise anything but expenses. Only Carter's ardent conviction could save Carnarvon from a cowardly deed and persuade him to extend the concession for another season.

At the end of October 1922, Howard Carter (photo of that period presented at the beginning of the article) resumed work. To completely clean the bottom of the Valley of the virgins, it was necessary to remove the remains of the huts of workers who worked here in antiquity over erecting the tomb of Ramses VI. Their foundations protruded from the sand in a large area. This work took several days, but as soon as it was completed, on the site of one of the buildings stone steps were found that went deep into the earth and, apparently, had never before been affected by excavation.

Mysterious staircase

Everything said that before them the entrance to some previously unknown burial. In anticipation of success, the work was continued with renewed vigor. Soon, having cleared the entire upper part of the staircase, the archaeologists found themselves in front of the walled entrance to the tomb. Carter saw that on the shroud of the door clearly visible embossed seals, depicting the gods of embalming in the guise of jackals, as well as related captives, which was a sign of the royal burial.

It is interesting to note that in previous years Carter twice was near this mysterious door, but both times missed his chance. This happened for the first time when he excavated here as part of the expedition of T. Davis, who, not wanting to mess with the remnants of stone huts, ordered the work to be moved to another place. The next time it happened, when five years ago Carter himself did not want to demolish them, since he would deprive tourists of the opportunity to be photographed from these picturesque ruins.

The first joy of discovery

Caught in a mysterious door with intact seals, Carter punched a small hole in it and, inserting the lantern inside, convinced himself that the passage was covered with a centuries-old layer of rubble and debris. This proved that the robbers had not been able to visit here, and perhaps the tomb would appear before them in its original form.

Despite all the surging feelings - the joy of the find, the impatience to get inside and the sense of proximity of discovery, - Carter did as the true English gentleman demanded of him. Since his companion Lord Carnarvon was at that time in England, Howard Carter did not dare penetrate the tomb without someone who financed all these years of work. He ordered to fall asleep again the entrance to the tomb, and to England sent an urgent telegram, in which he informed his friend about the long-awaited find.

Waiting for Lord Carnarvon

The rumor about the discovery of an unknown burial site quickly spread around the district and gave birth to a problem that Howard Carter himself had to solve alone before the Lord's arrival. The tomb is a place where not only the mummy is, but also the treasures buried with it. Naturally, such values become a bait for robbers who are capable of possessing them for any crime. Therefore, with all the sharpness the question arose, how to protect jewels and themselves from unwanted visitors. To this end, the staircase leading to the door was not only filled up, but was piled high with heavy stone debris, and around the clock guard was put up.

Finally, on the 23rd of November Lord Carnarvon arrived, and in his presence the staircase was again freed from the rubble. Two days later, when all the preparations were completed, and the seals on the door were sketched and photographed, they began dismantling the walled entrance to the tomb. By this moment, it became evident that what Howard Carter dreamed of for many years - the tomb of Tutankhamun was before him. This was indicated by an inscription on one of the seals.

The second door, discovered by Howard Carter

Tutankhamun of dreams was becoming a reality. Before him there were only a few steps. When the barrier on their way was removed, in the light of the lanterns, the researchers saw an inclined narrow corridor, also cluttered with rubble and leading directly to the burial chamber. The Arabs, hired for excavations, freed him, carrying the soil in wicker baskets. Finally the main moment came. On the morning of November 26, archaeologists stood in front of the second door, which also preserved the ancient seals of Tutankhamun.

When the last basket of rubble was removed, Carter made a hole in the upper part of the door, which allowed him to insert a probe into it. Checking showed that the space behind the door is completely free. Using the lamp, Carter peered inside. What he saw exceeded all expectations. In front of him was a room that looked like a museum hall. It was filled with the most amazing objects, many of which scientists saw for the first time.

Treasury of Tutankhamun

First of all, in the eyes of the astonished archaeologist, three massive golden boxes rushed, dully glittering in the light of the lantern. Behind them were seen black, full-length figures of the pharaoh, decorated with gold trim. All the rest of the room was filled with all sorts of chests full of jewelry, fine work of alabaster vases and various ornaments of gold and precious stones. In this treasury, there was only one thing missing: there were neither sarcophagi nor a mummy of who owned all these riches.

The next day, electricity was supplied to the tomb, and when it was illuminated, the second door was opened. Now the scientists had to work hard and painstakingly - all the objects behind it were to be photographed, sketched, and their location is clearly indicated on the floor plan. Very soon it turned out that under one of the two boxes there was hidden a secret entrance to another small side room, also filled with precious objects.

Work with items found in the tomb

All that Howard Carter discovered, required scientific processing and systematization. Therefore, after the solemn opening of the tomb took place on November 29, 1922 in the presence of the officials, leading experts from many scientific centers of the world were invited to work with the exhibits discovered in it. Famous archeologists, epigraphists, chemists-restorers, artists and photographers have gathered in the Valley of the Virgins.

Only three months later, when all the found items were taken with appropriate precautions from the tomb, they began to open the third door found during the operation. When it was dismantled, behind it was what Howard Carter supposed - the tomb of Tutankhamun, or more precisely, his funeral peace.

A mummy that is three thousand years old

Almost the entire volume of the room was occupied by a gilded ark with a length of 5.08 meters, a width of 3.3 meters and a height of 2.75 meters. Inside it, like matryoshkas, there were one in the other three smaller arches. When the researchers carefully disassembled them and took them outside, they saw a quartz sarcophagus. After his lid was raised, inside saw an anthropoid (executed in the shape of a human figure) coffin covered with gilding. His cover was Tutankhamen himself, lying with his arms crossed.

Inside of it were two more coffins, precisely fitted one to another, so that to separate them represented great difficulty. When they were extracted with all the precautions, the last of them found a wrapped mummy of the pharaoh himself, who died more than three thousand years ago. His face was covered with a golden mask, made with extraordinary perfection and weighing nine kilograms.

What Howard Carter did is recognized as the greatest discovery in the history of archeology. The ruler of Egypt, who died at a young age and rested in an open tomb, immediately became the object of attention of millions of people. World fame was acquired by Howard Carter himself. Contribution to the study of the history of ancient Egypt, introduced by him, was so great that it allowed a completely new way to make a picture of the funeral rites of the Middle Kingdom period.