In the early 20th century, many archaeologists believed that Egypt’s Valley of the Kings had already revealed all its secrets. Tombs had been excavated, treasures removed, and the valley seemed exhausted. But Howard Carter refused to accept this. He was convinced that the tomb of a relatively obscure young ruler, Tutankhamun, was still waiting to be found.
Carter’s search was funded by Lord Carnarvon, who had supported years of expensive and largely unsuccessful excavation. By 1922, frustration