File TAA ii.3.1-28 - Letters written to Howard Carter following the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb

Identity area

Reference code

TAA ii.3.1-28

Title

Letters written to Howard Carter following the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb

Date(s)

  • c. 1922-1923 (Creation)

Level of description

File

Extent and medium

1 Western Manuscript folder

Context area

Name of creator

(1874-1939)

Biographical history

British Egyptologist. Born, London 1874. Died, London 1939. Privately educated. Employed by P. E. Newberry in 1891 working for the Archaeological Survey. Assisted in excavations for the Egypt Exploration Fund 1892-3, was with Petrie at Amarna in 1892, and as a draughtsman to the Deir el-Bahri expedition 1893-9. Appointed Chief Inspector of Antiquities of Upper Egypt 1899-1904. Discovered several royal tombs, including those of Hatshepsut, Tuthmosis IV and Amenophis I. Inspector of Lower Egypt 1905. Employed by Lord Carnarvon from 1909 onwards, to excavate in the Theban necropolis, the Delta and Middle Egypt. His most famous discovery, that of the intact tomb of Tutankhamun, was made in 1922. He spent the next ten years recording the tomb's contents. Most of Carter's records for Tutankhamun's tomb remain unpublished.

Name of creator

(1874-1928)

Biographical history

British Egyptologist. Born, Glenorchy, Hobart, Tasmania 1874. Died, Haywards Heath, Sussex 1928. Educated, St Edward's School, Oxford, then Keble College, Oxford. BA, 1895. Worked with W. M. F. Petrie at Dendera, Hû, and Abydos, between 1897-1901. Assisted G. A. Reisner on the California University excavations at Gîza, 1901-6. From 1906 onwards, he spent of the rest of his career working for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, culminating in the position of Associate Curator in 1922. He founded and directed the first Metropolitan Museum expedition to Egypt. Between 1922-4 he was engaged as an assistant to H. Carter during the early stages of excavating of the tomb of Tutankhamun. He was forced to resign this position due to poor health. He published several books and articles and collaborated with Carter on the first volume of the publication The Tomb of Tut.Ankh.Amen (1923).

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Originally in the possession of A. C. Mace, and then Mace's daughter, Mrs Margaret Orr. The letters were donated on behalf of Mrs Orr by Mr T. G. H. James, who presented to the Griffith Institute on 3 September 1992. Two further items, TAA Archive ii.3.27 and ii.3.28, were presented by Mr David Orr and Mrs Alison Crawford (grandchildren of Arthur Mace; children of Margaret Orr) on 29 August 2018.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Letters sent to Howard Carter at the time of the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun. These letters were almost immediately passed on by Carter to A. C. Mace to deal with.

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Property of the Griffith Institute. No restrictions.

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Copyright Griffith Institute, University of Oxford.

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Archived scans in Griffith Institute.

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