King Tut. I guess every well educated (wo)man on Earth saw the gold mask and other treasures of pharaoh Tutankhamun #AncientEgypt on TV or in a book. His tomb in the Valley of the Kings, near Luxor, was discovered in 1922, by Howard Carter (1874-1939), after more than 10 seasons digging. To be more exact, the 1922 season was the last season Lord Carnarvon was willing to pay for. What luck, after so many years of fruitless searching!
What most people don't know is that Tutankamun's tomb is not the only intact tomb found filled with precious treasures of ancient Egypt.
Ever heard of the treasures of Tanis? They are virtually unknown. In 1939-1940 Pierre Montet (1885-1966) found in Tanis (Egyptian 'Djanet'), near Cairo, the intact tombs of 3 pharaohs: Psusennes I, Amenemope and Sheshonk II. In his 11th season of digging! Containing their golden funeral masks, silver coffins (silver was back than considered more precious than gold), jewellery, lapis lazuli and other precious stones. In 1946 Montet also found the intact tomb of general Wendebauendjed who served under Psusennes I.
Did you know that the Tanis treasures have been recycled through state-sanctioned tomb-robbing of the Valley of the Kings? Robbing!
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