Finding King Tut

Dear Editor,

Sept. 25, the Gazette published my book review, Art and History of Egypt.

Howard Carter (1874-1939), English archaeologist, who discovered King Tut's tomb in 1922, had moments of discouragement and triumph.

He and his associates spent approximately 32 years exploring the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. Over and over again, they uncovered tombs of Egyptian Pharoahs that had been looted.

For nearly 3,000 years, King Tut's tomb was covered by debris after the tomb of Ramsses IX was built above it. It too had been visited by thieves, but was resealed.

The first view that Carter had of it was the antechamber. It was full of dismantled chariots and funeral couches. Carter and his assistants opened four funeral shrines.

They were set inside each other, like Chinese boxes. There was a royal Ka of Tutankhamen, representing King Tut's double, and a small wooden hunting chest painted with battle scenes of the kind defeating his enemies. The Ka of King Tut represented the moment when King Tut's spirit left his body.

After years of frustration, Carter had finally reached ultimate goal.

Helen Ruth Arnold,

McCook