The discovery, which continues to amaze the world more than a century later, reveals the grandeur and mystery of a lost civilisation. The archaeological discovery continues to amaze the world more than a century later: the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. Found in 1922 by British archaeologist Howard Carter, it contained more than 110 kilograms of pure gold in the form of jewellery, amulets, masks and various funerary objects.
Although more than a hundred years have passed since this discovery, its historical and material value continues to arouse interest. All the treasures are under the protection of the Egyptian government and, considering the current price of gold (about £1,600 per ounce), their estimated value exceeds £60 million.
However, their significance goes beyond the economic aspect: this is one of the most impressive discoveries in modern archaeology, recognised for the grandeur, symbolism and excellent state of preservation of its artefacts, as noted by National Geographic.
Ancient discovery: tomb with 110 kilograms of gold, valued at millions
The tomb was discovered in the Valley of the Kings, near Luxor, Egypt, and stood out from the others because it had remained virtually intact since 1323 BC, when Tutankhamun died. Inside, more than 5,000 objects were found, including a pure gold sarcophagus, an 11-kilogram gold funeral mask, thrones, jewellery and war chariots, all carefully arranged to accompany the young pharaoh on his journey to the world of the dead.
The total amount of gold exceeds 110 kg and consists of jewellery and ceremonial objects intended exclusively for the Egyptian nobility. According to National Geographic, archaeologists were impressed by the exceptional condition of the gold, which retained its original shine thanks to the arid desert climate.
The ancient shine of the gold remained intact thanks to the dryness of the desert, surprising archaeologists with its excellent state of preservation.
After more than five years of excavations, Howard Carter managed to find the secret entrance to the tomb, covered by piles of debris.
His patron, Lord Carnarvon, witnessed the moment of discovery when Carter uttered his famous phrase, illuminating the burial chamber with a torch: ‘I see wonderful things.’
Although there is no official assessment to accurately determine its current value, some experts believe that the gold and jewels alone could exceed $90 million. However, these estimates are approximate and vary according to the international price of gold and the historical and symbolic significance of each object.
Treasures found in the golden tomb
All objects found in Tutankhamun’s tomb are under the protection of the Egyptian state. Although the discovery was made by British archaeologists, Egypt never authorised the legal export of the treasures. At that time, there was a distribution system known as ‘partage’, but the magnitude of the discovery and the exceptional state of preservation led the Egyptian government to ban the export of any objects.
This decision was made after the discovery in 1922 and later confirmed by heritage protection laws, which remain in force. Today, most of the relics are stored and displayed at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, although some have been loaned for international exhibitions. Egypt has refused several offers to purchase them, arguing that their cultural value cannot be transferred.
Tutankhamun’s tomb is equivalent to 110 kilograms of gold and, together with all the jewels he was buried with, could be worth up to $90 million, depending on the gold market.
According to the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities, Tutankhamun’s funerary gifts have been declared national heritage and are one of the most important symbols of the country’s cultural heritage.
