What inspired Howard Carter to start the journey on finding King Tut's tomb?

Although Carter was well known for his art and paintings, he decided to take a break from his own paintings and began studying inscriptions and paintings of Egypt. (The above image is actually one of Egypt's paintings, but the date is still unknown.) Many of the paintings by Egyptians were painted like the one above, on walls. Some were used to keep track of dates/events that were happening in a person's life. And other's were meant to be messages. When Carter saw the paintings, they inspired him to start his search for Tut's tomb..some paintings included something about Tut, or his being lost..so Carter started the journey; and soon made the biggest discovery people had been trying to make for years, and years, and years.

So what was the cause of Tut's death?

When King Tutankhamen died, there were many, many questions that came to peoples' minds. How old was the king when he died? Did he suffer from any physical abnormalities? Had he been murdered? (I guess I would be ok if people questioned how I died, even if they didn't know the city that I was born in!) Finally, in 2005, all of those questions were answered. But what most people wanted was the amulets and gold that were buried with the body. (Gold is great, trust me. But I would rather all the answers that led up to the mystery of King Tut's tomb than have the gold and amulets.) Scientists believed that the king had been murdered, possibly by accident, with a bow-and-arrow, which had been shot into the back of his skull. However, signs from the skull say that he lived for an extensive period of time after the injury had occurred...(hopefully!!)

Who in the world was Ankhesenpaaten?!

Ankhesenpaaten (now why anyone would name their kid that, is beyond me!) was actually King Tutankhamen's wife. After she and Tut married, her name was changed to Ankhesenamun; by changing the ending from 'aten' to 'amun.' After Tutankhamen's sudden death at the young age of 19, (I hope I live longer than that!!) Ankhesenpamun married this guy named Ay. (If my husband died, I think it would take me a bit longer to take everything in, and alot longer to go out and just find someone else to marry.) It was said to be believed that the elder of Tutankhamen's two advisors, Ay, and the other, Horemheb, obliterated most of the evidence of the reigns of Akhenaten, Tutankhamun, and Ay. (Akhenaten was a pharoah who tried to supplant the priesthood and gods with another god.) And finally, Tut's death was revealed, and Ankhesenamun was no longer charged/believed to have killed her husband.

Describe Howard's reaction when he found the tomb.

Finding a tomb. Pretty exciting, right? Some of you may say, "Uhh yeah!!!" while others may be sitting there thinking, "Why would anyone want to go on a llonnngg journey, just to find an old mummy in a sarcophogus?" Well, if you're thinking about the second response, I would take it back. When Howard and his men found the tomb, they were simply astonished! (and to be honest, I guess I would be too...it held gold!!!) But instead of finding gold, he only found King Tutankhamen..dead, old, and crinkly in his sarcophogus. And all that Howard felt was a wave of relief and astonishment because he had finally found the tomb.

When and where was Carter born?

Howard Carter was born on March 9th, 1874. (I thought he was like 80, but he was only 65 when he died!) Various sources say that he was born in London, but the city is still uncertain. (I don't think I would be very happy if I found out that where I was born was uncertain!!) Carter's father, Samuel Carter, was a very well known animal artist. (Which is probably where he got his artistic abilities from.) At about the age of 7 years old, Carter started work for an old family friend-the Amhersts. Carter died on March 2nd, 1939.

What was Carter's reaction to finding the tomb?

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