Howard Carter

Born in 1874, Howard Carter first went to Egypt as a young artist hired to sketch artifacts. He went on to become an important archeologist, and the lead excavator of the tomb of King Tutankhamun.

Howard Carter was born May 9, 1874, in Kensington, London. His father Samuel Carter was a successful artist. Howard was a sickly child, and was sent to live with his aunts in Norfolk. He had private home schooling, and had an artistic streak from an early age. When his father painted a portrait of a well-known Egyptologist, the young Howard's interest was sparked.
The British had occupied Egypt in the late 19th centry. This period saw an increased European interest in Egyptology, the study of ancient Egypt. Many prominent British scientists and archeologists were active in excavating ancient sites.

Through his father's connections, Howard Carter found a job working for an archeologist who needed an artist to draw his findings. Howard headed to Egypt in 1891, at the age of 17, where he was to work on the Egypt Exploration Fund's excavation of the Middle Kingdom tombs at Beni Hassan.

In 1907, Carter was hired by wealthy English aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who was fascinated by Egyptology. With Carnarvon's backing, Carter led the excavation of Egyptian nobles' tombs. In 1914, Carnarvon received a license to dig at KV62, the site where it was believed the tomb of King Tutankhamun rest. Carnarvon gave the job to Howard Carter. Carter hired a crew of workers to help find the tomb, which was believed to be at a site in the Valley of the Kings designated KV62.

After a few weeks of digging, a boy who worked as a water fetcher on the excavation started to dig in the sand with a stick. He found a stone step, and called Carter over. Carter's crew found a flight of steps that led down to a sealed door, and a secret chamber. On November 6, 1922, Carter and Lord Carnarvon entered the tomb, where they found an immense collection of gold and treasures. On February 16, 1923, Carter opened the innermost chamber and found the sarcophagus of King Tut.

The discovery made a huge impact. King Tut's tomb was by far the most intact of all the tombs that were excavated, and artifacts were well-preserved, including the sarcophagus and Tut's mummy. (bio.True Story)