When Tutankhamun’s amazing tomb was opened; The shocking narrative of the first reporter

His burial goods were prepared to cement the king’s power in the other world forever. This amount of treasure, which has not been seen in any other excavation, shows his religious and political importance. With his death, he left a legacy that symbolized the revival of Amun’s power and the glory of authentic Egyptian art.

Although the mausoleum is small, the rich store of rare furniture inside amazes every viewer. When I entered Luxor on February 17th, the memories of my visit 11 years ago came alive in my mind. I remembered how we used to drink Nile water from clay jugs under the scorching sun, thirsty and tired.

Photographer: Maynard Owen Williams / nationalgeographic

The smell of cattle and haggling with natives for fake antiques were part of the unforgettable atmosphere of that era. Now I have returned to this desert to witness wonders that modern man has never seen. The hike to Burning Rocks was a prelude to encountering the treasure that awaited me.

In this trip, I decided to walk slowly to feel the warmth of the African sun on my back. I wanted to hang out with the villagers and enjoy watching the camels going to the fields. This walk was an opportunity to be alone with the silence and grandeur of the Valley of the Kings before the noise of reporters.

Photographer: Maynard Owen Williams / nationalgeographic

Interacting with the local people and seeing the current life next to the ancient monuments creates a fascinating contrast. Every step on this desert path brought me closer to the distant past and prepared my mind for exploration. This personal experience changed my perspective on the connection between modern life and ancient Egyptian history.

The morning freshness was in the air and the workers were leveling and preparing the road for the arrival of the Queen of Belgium. But I left the main road and went to the destination through the spiral shortcut between the chalk hills. I passed by the giant statues of Memnon and witnessed the primitive life of people in the heart of the desert. Camels and oxen turned well wheels to water the thirsty fields with precious Nile water. Watching these traditional scenes next to the old tombs gave a strange sense of time continuity. I sought to understand the spirit that still flows behind these stones and millennia-old traditions.

While passing through a mud village, a girl offered me sugarcane and the moons were singing on the walls. I stopped for lunch near Hatshepsut’s temple, where workers were clearing dirt. In the courtyard of the resort, the mighty Tredesti entertained the tired workers with their traditional shows. With his cups and chickens, he brought moments of happiness to the heart of this dry and historical valley. These small details were part of the symphony of living on the edge of a place that hid great treasures. I felt that all these people and scenes are a prelude to entering the great secret of Tutankhamun.

Under the blazing midday sun, I moved towards the covered entrance of the tomb with my heavy camera. There I saw reporters who had been patiently waiting for news from the depths of the earth for weeks. An ambulance was constantly coming and going to transport the treasures to the restoration laboratory. These news-hungry men scrutinized every rumor that leaked through the door of the tomb. They had appeared in the role of detectives, recording the slightest change in the state of the tomb. The atmosphere was full of suspense and everyone in that “hell hole” was waiting for a new object to emerge from history.

The valley was shrouded in heavy silence and reporters spoke in whispers so as not to break secrets. The weight of mystery dominated this space, which cannot be found anywhere else. Speculation began when foremen removed the wooden guards to move timber inside. Photographers carefully estimated the distance to the gate to capture the best moment for history. It was late when I left, but the image of that silent tomb was etched in my mind. As if in that final hour of the day, the spirits of the pharaohs were watching the curiosities of us modern humans from afar.

The night before the reopening, the lobby of Luxor Hotel became a command center and a center of tension. The reporters who had preempted reported the splitting of the wall of the inner chamber.

Photographer: Maynard Owen Williams / nationalgeographic

Everyone wanted to speak to Lord Carnarvon, but it was as if speaking from the tomb was forbidden for now. The audience interpreted Lord’s every look and movement so that a secret might be revealed from inside the tomb. The collective excitement was so high that no one wanted to miss a moment of this historic event. The atmosphere of the hotel was filled with euphoria and enthusiasm, which prepared everyone for the promised morning.

On Sunday morning, the tomb of Ramesses IX was specially prepared to welcome the Queen of Belgium and the officials. Nearby, Akhenaten’s tomb was turned into a darkroom for the emergence of photographs of his son-in-law’s treasure.

Photographer: Maynard Owen Williams / nationalgeographic

As the temperature rose, camels brought ice trays to the dig site to entertain the dignitaries. The clattering of journalists’ typewriters could be heard among the ancient stone walls of the valley. The presence of the security forces and authorities had turned the King’s Valley into a military and diplomatic fortress. Everything was ready to establish a link between the modern kingdom and the ancient pharaoh in the heart of the earth.

If Akhenaten’s spirit was there, he would be appalled by his rival’s conversion of his tomb into a photographic laboratory. Overlooking it was the tomb of Ramesses VI, the ruler during which the priests took power. Around noon, the camels brought the ice and the guests had lunch in the cool tunnels. Every corner of the compound became part of a huge information machine to broadcast the glory of Egypt. Reporters were in a tight race to report the smallest details of the Queen’s arrival to the world. The atmosphere was a mixture of official royal ceremonies and media scrambling in one of the oldest places on earth.

Upon Lord Allenby’s arrival, the Queen of Belgium stepped into the dark depths of the tomb with Howard Carter. After thirty centuries of silence, Tutankhamun was finally meeting guests from the modern world. When Lord Allenby left the tomb, the dirt on his clothes showed how cramped the space was. A huge stone coffin filled the room so much that it was very difficult to pass by it. This narrowness of space revealed to us the stunning dimensions of the treasure that was placed there. The presence of the queen in the heart of the earth was a symbol of today’s world’s tribute to the ancient roots of human civilization.

I entered the tomb on Monday; The light of electricity had made the darkness of three thousand years bright like day. A black statue of the king with golden sandals stood at the threshold to protect his privacy. The majesty of these faithful guardians staring out at today’s world would impress every viewer. The pleated skirts and the delicacy of their construction differed from all previous archaeological finds. These figures had created a symbolic boundary between the world of the living and the eternal realm of the young king. Being in that hall and facing those ancient eyes sent shivers down every spectator’s body.

The stone sarcophagus was covered with gold sheets and had such a luster that words cannot describe. The mysterious eyes and the snake that towered over it for protection had a dazzling splendor.

Photographer: Maynard Owen Williams / nationalgeographic

Inscriptions of lapis lazuli and ceramic glaze beautifully decorated the body of this huge and sacred tank. In a corner, marble vases were placed next to burial objects with an elegance beyond imagination. A wooden fence completely blocked our view of the back chamber, which was said to be full of treasure. Here was a privacy that after thousands of years, the curious eyes of mankind would touch it again.

After that I went to the tomb of Amenophis II, where his mummy lies under light and dried flowers. The horrible mummies there are a reminder of the fate that might await Tutankhamun. In the dark depths of the tomb of Amenophis III, I saw a broken coffin lid lying in silence. The bats filled the eerie atmosphere of this looted and forgotten tomb with their screams. There I clearly felt the weight of thousands of tons of limestone over my head and the humiliation of man. These looted tombs provided a painful contrast to the untouched treasury of the young king.

I rode the camel back to Luxor in the fog of the road and the evening sun was shining. Boats with white butterfly sails split the Nile and paper flowers sparkled. At the hotel, tourists were excited about the permits to enter and see the new mummies. Tutankhamun’s name was on everyone’s lips, and photographic films were the narrator of this universal desire. But the mummy of the young king still remains in captivity in his stone tomb and away from the eyes of the world. He stayed in the heart of the earth so that he might be forever safe from the noise of the living world and prying eyes.

Photographer: Maynard Owen Williams / nationalgeographic

Do you think the most valuable thing that came out of this tomb was the golden treasures or the story that reached the world after 3000 years? Share your opinion with us and other readers.