King Tut Tomb: Famous Egyptian Pharoah's Grave Too Small, Burial Rushed

King Tut, a.k.a pharaoh Tutankhamun's tom, was discovered in 1922. However, many were surprised for some reasons.

King Tut Tomb

The sole royal tomb from the Valley of the Kings discovered relatively undamaged is the tomb of the Eighteenth Dynasty king Tutankhamun (about 1336-1327 BC). The discovery of King Tut's tomb in 1922 by British archaeologist Howard Carter garnered international attention, which persisted when the golden treasures and other opulent items found within were brought out. It was considered one of the most significant archaeological discoveries to date. The tomb and its treasures are symbols of Egypt.

Despite the wealth it held, King Tut's tomb - number 62 in the Valley of the Kings- is relatively tiny compared to the other tombs. Tutankhamun's tomb's diminutive size (KV62) has sparked much discussion. When his successor, the high official Ay, passed away, he was buried in a tomb (KV23) that may have been created with Tutankhamun in mind initially but was not quite finished when the young king passed away.

The tomb of Horemheb, Ay's successor, has similarly been defended (KV57). If so, it is unknown for whom the ultimate Tutankhamun tomb, KV62, was carved; nonetheless, it has been maintained that it already existed as a private tomb or storage, subsequently enlarged to contain the Egyptian pharaoh.

For whatever reason, the tomb was so small that the 5000 or so artifacts found within were packed in very closely. These were larger than the other tombs on this site, both in size and decoration, and included items that Tutankhamun would have used daily, such as clothing, jewelry, cosmetics, incense, furniture, chairs, toys, vessels made of a variety of materials, chariots, and weapons.

Tut's burial was also allegedly rushed. They noticed mold spots on the paint inside his tomb, suggesting the workers didn't wait to dry the paint before sealing it.

Who Is King Tut?

Pharaoh Tutankhamun-Tut, Tut for short, ruled over ancient Egypt from about 1333 to 1323 B.C. He was only nine years old when he succeeded to the throne following the passing of his father, Akhenaten. He reigned during a challenging time in ancient Egyptian history.

As king, he participated in religious ceremonies and festivals, went on hunting trips, learned how to ride horses and drive chariots, and trained in military skills.

However, his reign didn't last long. He died young at the age of 19. Experts aren't sure about the cause of his death. It could be due to an injury from a chariot crash, a mosquito-borne illness, a bone disease, or some combination.

Tut had no children, so his adviser Ay was given the throne after he passed away. When King Tut was alive, many people believed he was weak and ill. In contrast to the underfed boy-king of folklore, a recent study asserted that the late Egyptian leader was a battle-tested warrior with no deformities.

Check out more news and information on Ancient Egypt in Science Times.