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Tutankhamun and the Tomb that Changed the World
A major new look at the treasures and mysteries of Tutankhamun's tomb on the centenary of its discovery.
It is often thought that the story of Tutankhamun ended when the thousands of items discovered by Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon were transported to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and put on display. But there is far more to Tutankhamun's story. Tutankhamun and the Tomb that Changed the Worldexplores the 100 years of research on Tutankhamun that has taken place since the tomb's discovery: we learn that several objects in the tomb were made of meteoritic iron that came from outer space; new evidence shows that Tutankhamun may have been a warrior who went into battle; and author Bob Brier takes readers behind the scenes of the recent CAT-scanning of his mummy to reveal secrets of the pharaoh.
The book also illustrates the wide-ranging impact the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb had on fields beyond Egyptology. Included is an examination of how the discovery of the tomb influenced Egyptian politics and contributed to the downfall of colonialism in Egypt. Outside Egypt, the modern blockbuster exhibitions that raise great sums of monies for museums around the world all began with Tutankhamun, as did the idea of documenting every object discovered in place, before it was moved. And to a great extent, the modern fascination with ancient Egypt--Egyptomania--was also greatly promoted by the Tutmania that surrounded the discovery of the tomb.
It is often thought that the story of Tutankhamun ended when the thousands of items discovered by Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon were transported to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and put on display. But there is far more to Tutankhamun's story. Tutankhamun and the Tomb that Changed the Worldexplores the 100 years of research on Tutankhamun that has taken place since the tomb's discovery: we learn that several objects in the tomb were made of meteoritic iron that came from outer space; new evidence shows that Tutankhamun may have been a warrior who went into battle; and author Bob Brier takes readers behind the scenes of the recent CAT-scanning of his mummy to reveal secrets of the pharaoh.
The book also illustrates the wide-ranging impact the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb had on fields beyond Egyptology. Included is an examination of how the discovery of the tomb influenced Egyptian politics and contributed to the downfall of colonialism in Egypt. Outside Egypt, the modern blockbuster exhibitions that raise great sums of monies for museums around the world all began with Tutankhamun, as did the idea of documenting every object discovered in place, before it was moved. And to a great extent, the modern fascination with ancient Egypt--Egyptomania--was also greatly promoted by the Tutmania that surrounded the discovery of the tomb.
11 pages, Audible Audio
First published October 1, 2022
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3100 people want to read
About the author
Bob Brier
32books170followersRobert Brier (born December 13, 1943), also known as Mr. Mummy, is an American Egyptologist specializing in paleopathology. A Senior Research Fellow at Long Island University/LIU Post, he has researched and published on mummies and the mummification process and has appeared in many Discovery Civilization documentaries, primarily on ancient Egypt.
Born and raised in The Bronx, New York, Brier earned his bachelor's degree from Hunter College of the City University of New York. From 1966 to 1970, he was on the research staff of the Institute of Parapsychology (formerly the Foundation for Research on the Nature of Man) in Durham, North Carolina, where he worked on such books as Parapsychology Today and Test Your ESP. He earned his PhD in philosophy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1970 and began teaching at Long Island University in 1972. He served as chairman of the philosophy department from 1981 to 1996 and has also served as the director of the National Endowment for the Humanities' "Egyptology Today" program. He was appointed Senior Research Fellow at LIU Post in 2004. In addition to his career at Long Island University, Brier has taught ancient Egyptian at The New School and Egyptology at Webb Institute for many years.
Brier has conducted research in mummification practices worldwide. He has investigated well-known mummies such as Tutankhamen, Ramses the Great, Vladimir Lenin, Eva Perón (more commonly known as Evita), and the Medici family.
In 1994, Brier and a colleague, Ronald Wade, director of the State Anatomy Board of Maryland, claimed to be the first people in 2,000 years to mummify a human cadaver using ancient Egyptian techniques. This research earned Brier the affectionate nickname "Mr. Mummy" and was also the subject of the National Geographic television special of the same name, which made him a household name. He is also the host of several television programmes for the TLC Network including The Great Egyptians, Pyramids, Mummies and Tombs, and Mummy Detective. His research has been featured in Archaeology Magazine, The New York Times, CNN, 60 Minutes and 20/20.
In 1999, Brier gave a series of 48 specially-prepared lectures entitled "The History of Ancient Egypt" for The Teaching Company. He later did another series of 12 lectures for them, focusing on "Great Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt". Brier is a recipient of Long Island University's David Newton award for Teaching Excellence.
He leads tours to Egypt for Far Horizons Archaeological and Cultural trips.
Born and raised in The Bronx, New York, Brier earned his bachelor's degree from Hunter College of the City University of New York. From 1966 to 1970, he was on the research staff of the Institute of Parapsychology (formerly the Foundation for Research on the Nature of Man) in Durham, North Carolina, where he worked on such books as Parapsychology Today and Test Your ESP. He earned his PhD in philosophy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1970 and began teaching at Long Island University in 1972. He served as chairman of the philosophy department from 1981 to 1996 and has also served as the director of the National Endowment for the Humanities' "Egyptology Today" program. He was appointed Senior Research Fellow at LIU Post in 2004. In addition to his career at Long Island University, Brier has taught ancient Egyptian at The New School and Egyptology at Webb Institute for many years.
Brier has conducted research in mummification practices worldwide. He has investigated well-known mummies such as Tutankhamen, Ramses the Great, Vladimir Lenin, Eva Perón (more commonly known as Evita), and the Medici family.
In 1994, Brier and a colleague, Ronald Wade, director of the State Anatomy Board of Maryland, claimed to be the first people in 2,000 years to mummify a human cadaver using ancient Egyptian techniques. This research earned Brier the affectionate nickname "Mr. Mummy" and was also the subject of the National Geographic television special of the same name, which made him a household name. He is also the host of several television programmes for the TLC Network including The Great Egyptians, Pyramids, Mummies and Tombs, and Mummy Detective. His research has been featured in Archaeology Magazine, The New York Times, CNN, 60 Minutes and 20/20.
In 1999, Brier gave a series of 48 specially-prepared lectures entitled "The History of Ancient Egypt" for The Teaching Company. He later did another series of 12 lectures for them, focusing on "Great Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt". Brier is a recipient of Long Island University's David Newton award for Teaching Excellence.
He leads tours to Egypt for Far Horizons Archaeological and Cultural trips.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
March 7, 2023
During the excavations in the Valley of the Kings, there were tantalizing clues to the tomb of Tutankhamun, a king who previously was unknown. Additionally, other clues were found, in blocks that had been removed from temples, and reused for other building projects by later pharaohs.
When Howard Carter began digging in the Valley, he was certain that there were tombs that had not been located, and he spend years searching for them. Under the employ of Lord Carnarvon, they began working in the Valley, eventually locating a tomb that was virtually intact.
Throughout this book, Bob Brier takes us on the journey of the attempts to find Tutankhamun, the politics surrounding the opening of the tomb, and the different figures that were prevalent in the clearing of the tomb.
This was a fabulous read, and I was not ready for the book to end! I was hooked, unable to set it down. It was one of those "give me more" reads, that you look forward to. Dr. Brier has again brought a work that leaves you enthralled, waiting to see what is going to happen on the next page. While we are familiar with the many items that were found within the tomb, and the fabulous treasures it contained, there are many items that have never been properly documented, researched, or put out for viewing. There is so much more to this tomb than what we have already seen!
When Howard Carter began digging in the Valley, he was certain that there were tombs that had not been located, and he spend years searching for them. Under the employ of Lord Carnarvon, they began working in the Valley, eventually locating a tomb that was virtually intact.
Throughout this book, Bob Brier takes us on the journey of the attempts to find Tutankhamun, the politics surrounding the opening of the tomb, and the different figures that were prevalent in the clearing of the tomb.
This was a fabulous read, and I was not ready for the book to end! I was hooked, unable to set it down. It was one of those "give me more" reads, that you look forward to. Dr. Brier has again brought a work that leaves you enthralled, waiting to see what is going to happen on the next page. While we are familiar with the many items that were found within the tomb, and the fabulous treasures it contained, there are many items that have never been properly documented, researched, or put out for viewing. There is so much more to this tomb than what we have already seen!
March 26, 2023
Brier's book is extremely informative and well-written. it's very current and shows how the science of Egyptology has grown and is so radically different than it was 100 years ago when this tomb was rediscovered. He is very knowledgeable and this tome is probably the most readable of all the books I've read on Egypt. My only criticism (and it is a minor one) is that he repeats some of his points. But the amount of new information I gleaned from reading this far outweighs that minor complaint. For any aficionado of Egyptology this is absolutely a must read.
January 22, 2023
A must read.
One of few rare books that you cannot put down until you finish reading it in one go. Bob is a great writer. His style is easy to follow and easy to understand.
Learned a lot of new things.
One of few rare books that you cannot put down until you finish reading it in one go. Bob is a great writer. His style is easy to follow and easy to understand.
Learned a lot of new things.
December 27, 2022
Talvez não tenha sido exactamente o que estava à espera, mas não deixa de ser um bom livro para quem é fã do Egipto antigo e de Tutankamon.
October 9, 2024
A fascinating and compelling history that was easily followed as an audiobook. I now will have to get the actual book to appreciate all the illustrations.
May 16, 2024
This was an in depth look at Tutankhamun and how the discovery of his tomb changed the world. This book is broken into three parts that break down the different parts of Tut’s discovery and legacy: history of the tomb, Tut finally revealed, and Tut’s legacy.
This starts by giving us the history of Howard Carter and what led up to him discovering the tomb, the long excavation of the tomb, and the tension and issues between Carter and the Egyptian Government. I found this part to be very interesting because while I know the basics of how Carter discovered the tomb, I didn’t realize how revolutionary he was in excavating, preserving, and documenting the process of clearing a royal tomb. I also never realized how much tensions and problems there were between Carter and the Egyptian government surrounding this discovery.
This goes over recent (pre-2022) discoveries surrounding Tut that involved x-raying his body, scanning Tut’s tomb for another hidden room, and DNA sequencing that led to identifying some of his family members' mummies. There are also multiple chapters about recent discoveries from items from Tut’s tomb due to all of his items being moved and conserved for the new Egyptian museum.
While Carter was way ahead of his times in clearing and documenting this tomb, we also see a lot of disregard in other areas, such as with the mummy of Tutankhamun. It amazed me how he didn’t care to damage the body of Tut as long as it came out of the coffins and he got the items that were wrapped up with him. We are also finding as the years pass that he gave things from Tut’s tomb to others and kept some for himself even when he wasn’t supposed to, all because he felt like he deserved it since he discovered the tomb.
Part three is about Tutankhamun’s legacy with the main one being pushing the Egyptians to fight against colonialism in Egypt, and enact strict laws about Egyptian cultural artifacts. This is why Egyptian artifacts belong to Egypt now and not the country/ person who finds them. While I knew Tut was one of the most well known things about Egypt, I never realized that his discovery is what pushed the government to fight to keep their treasuries and to enact strict policies on archeologists.
While this is a few years old now, I still think this is a great resource to learn about the discovery of the boy king and how he changed the world. I highly recommend this audiobook.
This starts by giving us the history of Howard Carter and what led up to him discovering the tomb, the long excavation of the tomb, and the tension and issues between Carter and the Egyptian Government. I found this part to be very interesting because while I know the basics of how Carter discovered the tomb, I didn’t realize how revolutionary he was in excavating, preserving, and documenting the process of clearing a royal tomb. I also never realized how much tensions and problems there were between Carter and the Egyptian government surrounding this discovery.
This goes over recent (pre-2022) discoveries surrounding Tut that involved x-raying his body, scanning Tut’s tomb for another hidden room, and DNA sequencing that led to identifying some of his family members' mummies. There are also multiple chapters about recent discoveries from items from Tut’s tomb due to all of his items being moved and conserved for the new Egyptian museum.
While Carter was way ahead of his times in clearing and documenting this tomb, we also see a lot of disregard in other areas, such as with the mummy of Tutankhamun. It amazed me how he didn’t care to damage the body of Tut as long as it came out of the coffins and he got the items that were wrapped up with him. We are also finding as the years pass that he gave things from Tut’s tomb to others and kept some for himself even when he wasn’t supposed to, all because he felt like he deserved it since he discovered the tomb.
Part three is about Tutankhamun’s legacy with the main one being pushing the Egyptians to fight against colonialism in Egypt, and enact strict laws about Egyptian cultural artifacts. This is why Egyptian artifacts belong to Egypt now and not the country/ person who finds them. While I knew Tut was one of the most well known things about Egypt, I never realized that his discovery is what pushed the government to fight to keep their treasuries and to enact strict policies on archeologists.
While this is a few years old now, I still think this is a great resource to learn about the discovery of the boy king and how he changed the world. I highly recommend this audiobook.
February 20, 2023
Fascinating read!!! Incredibly detailed explanation of the history and excavation of Tutankhamun’s tomb and the crew that discovered it. Brier expertly ties in the historical elements, political strain, controversy and continuing media fascination with Egyptmania. I couldn’t put this down!
December 8, 2023
só queria ser egiptóloga 🥲
February 26, 2023
TUTANKHAMUN AND THE TOMB THAT CHANGED THE WORLD documents 100 years of research on Tutankhamun and his tomb including discussion of the implications of the discovery.
Brier has done a fantastic job detailing the research done on Tutankhamun and his tomb as we’ve reached the 100th anniversary of the great archeological discovery. His writing is very easy to read and well organized with only a few short areas of redundancy. Sometimes reading non-fiction has a textbook-like feel that can be a slog to get through. This was far from that and I was eagerly turning pages, engrossed by the fascinating information. I appreciated how he included discussion of the societal, political, and economic implications of the discovery of the tomb. That greater context made this a much more engaging book than if it had stuck with only information of what was found in the tomb. Even though I was already familiar with some things regarding Tutankhamun, I learned so much more. It was great that black and white as well as color images are included.
TUTANKHAMUN AND THE TOMB THAT CHANGED THE WORLD was a fantastic read on a fascinating topic. I’d highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Tutankhamun, Egyptology, or archeology.
Thank you to Oxford University Press for the giveaway copy.
Brier has done a fantastic job detailing the research done on Tutankhamun and his tomb as we’ve reached the 100th anniversary of the great archeological discovery. His writing is very easy to read and well organized with only a few short areas of redundancy. Sometimes reading non-fiction has a textbook-like feel that can be a slog to get through. This was far from that and I was eagerly turning pages, engrossed by the fascinating information. I appreciated how he included discussion of the societal, political, and economic implications of the discovery of the tomb. That greater context made this a much more engaging book than if it had stuck with only information of what was found in the tomb. Even though I was already familiar with some things regarding Tutankhamun, I learned so much more. It was great that black and white as well as color images are included.
TUTANKHAMUN AND THE TOMB THAT CHANGED THE WORLD was a fantastic read on a fascinating topic. I’d highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Tutankhamun, Egyptology, or archeology.
Thank you to Oxford University Press for the giveaway copy.
March 8, 2023
I received a copy of this book as part of a ŷ giveaway.
This was an interesting exposé of Howard Carter's archeological find of the century. Out of context, the man is legendary. In the context of his time, he is both a visionary and one with blinders on. He creates a path for other archeologists to follow, but totally ignored or misread the changes in society in the post-colonial period. Bob Brier does a good job in portraying that duality throughout the book. He also adds in the reactions in the popular culture from its discovery through today.
Even though the book was published by Oxford University Press, this is really a book that is meant for the masses like you and me. For all the attention to detail, it is a bit short for a scholarly treatise on the rediscovery of the resting place of the boy-king. And his additions of the public reactions to everything Tut is definitely for us. And it can't be a book for the ivory tower as he also references the work of a decided non-scholar, Steve Martin, near the end of the book (for those of you who are too young to have seen it, go to YouTube and watch him perform King Tut).
This was an interesting exposé of Howard Carter's archeological find of the century. Out of context, the man is legendary. In the context of his time, he is both a visionary and one with blinders on. He creates a path for other archeologists to follow, but totally ignored or misread the changes in society in the post-colonial period. Bob Brier does a good job in portraying that duality throughout the book. He also adds in the reactions in the popular culture from its discovery through today.
Even though the book was published by Oxford University Press, this is really a book that is meant for the masses like you and me. For all the attention to detail, it is a bit short for a scholarly treatise on the rediscovery of the resting place of the boy-king. And his additions of the public reactions to everything Tut is definitely for us. And it can't be a book for the ivory tower as he also references the work of a decided non-scholar, Steve Martin, near the end of the book (for those of you who are too young to have seen it, go to YouTube and watch him perform King Tut).
March 17, 2023
Bob Brier "Tutankhamun and the Tomb that Changed the World" is the rare book on Egyptian history that combines important scholarly conversations and highly accessible writing. The book is set up to take us into the discovery of Tut's tomb (including what it meant for our understanding of Egyptian history up until that point), and then more scientific and contemporary takes revealing, among other things, the way Tut's tomb shaped policies about Egyptian antiquities, colonialism, and the role higher level science can play in the materials we have. If you're into stories about Egyptian history and want to know more about it and how we know what we do, this book's for you.
My only quibbles with the book are that it does run a bit long for me to assign to freshmen (I still might try it, though) and there are times when it feels like we're taking a long time to move the story along (especially at about the 60% point of the text.)
With gratitude to Edelweiss and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My only quibbles with the book are that it does run a bit long for me to assign to freshmen (I still might try it, though) and there are times when it feels like we're taking a long time to move the story along (especially at about the 60% point of the text.)
With gratitude to Edelweiss and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 21, 2024
Growing up I, like so many others, went through a pretty significant Egypt phase. Mostly that’s died down, but for whatever reason I just really wanted to read a book about King Tut and this one was available and wow it was so interesting. I loved Brier’s approach of detailing the history of the tomb’s discovery and then working both backwards and forwards in time to discuss the significance of its discovery, the scientific developments that contributed to its assessment, and all of the research done since. So many fascinating stories and so many important things have been found all because of one incredible find, and Brier did a wonderful job both narrating that and ensuring that the most detailed and seemingly minor of scientific discoveries were explained clearly and interestingly. I can honestly say that this may have inspired a new Egypt phase for me now as an adult…which could certainly be a problem since I can’t really go, but I’m going to love digging into even more books and resources, and I’ll have this book to thank (or blame).
March 20, 2023
Fun book. I wish there were more pictures, though. Nevertheless, interesting and entertaining--but to a point. I quit reading after King Tut got found and subjected to CAT scans, X-rays, and DNA analysis because, once all that got done, the author switch to telling me a whole more than I wanted to know about chariots and uniforms. The ancient Egyptians were fascinatingly weird, but this book doesn't really go into either the culture or religion very far. It does, however, take the reader into the Valley of the Kings so that you can follow along through the digs and discovered leading up to and culminating with the investigation of the King Tut's tomb.
March 15, 2024
Fascinating history of the discovery of king Tutankhamen‘s tomb and overview of the research leading up to the most recent science. The problem is a lot of the newest discoveries about king tut are made using crazy scanning technologies and dna analysis that are undeciferable to a lay person and can lose the significance of these advancements in the communication process. I think this author did a pretty good job of that, his great course on Egypt is also amazing. the problem is that the narrator of this book was extremely boring and basically sound like an AI which made this book lot less enjoyable. still solid
June 18, 2023
I am a big fan of stories about culture and society in antiquity and their lasting impacts on modern society. I thought this book was well written and to the point (I listened to the narration). I had not realized the discovery of King Tuts tomb was the catalyst for so many significant historical and scientific events in the past 100 years. Highly recommended, can see myself revisiting this book in the future!
September 11, 2024
Truly a must read for fans of Egyptology. Reads like an investigative journalist tracking down clues in a cold case. 🧐
Brier doesn't just talk about the "wonderful things" found in the boy-king's tomb and the curse of the Pharoah, he dives deep into the history of Egyptian excavation, the nationalism that grew with the mistreatment and foreign entitlement to Egyptian treasures, and how King Tut truly changed how we experience museums and exhibitions.
Brier doesn't just talk about the "wonderful things" found in the boy-king's tomb and the curse of the Pharoah, he dives deep into the history of Egyptian excavation, the nationalism that grew with the mistreatment and foreign entitlement to Egyptian treasures, and how King Tut truly changed how we experience museums and exhibitions.
July 8, 2023
A mixed bag, but mostly good. On the positive side, it is comprehensive, interesting and particularly fun when the author derives lots of ideas from tiny facts. On the negative side, this could have used much more editing: lots of repetition, saying one thing in one sentence and the opposite in the next. Plus the font is ugly and hard to read.
March 26, 2023
Well researched examination of the discovery of the tomb and it's impact on Egyptology, documentation and Egyptian nationalism. I especially apprciate Brier's honesty about his opinions of Carter's work and ethics. Really engrossing.
July 20, 2023
Excellent history of the discovery of Tut's tomb, with ancient through modern events told by archaeologist and university professor Bob Brier. Essential reading for fans of archaeology, Egyptology, and history. Easily 5 out of 5 stars. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
November 23, 2024
4.5 out of 5
Well-written, informative, and enjoyable. Some nice illustrations and images to go along with the information. Nothing transformative here, but worth reading, especially for those who know nothing of King Tut.
Well-written, informative, and enjoyable. Some nice illustrations and images to go along with the information. Nothing transformative here, but worth reading, especially for those who know nothing of King Tut.
January 13, 2025
Each section stands on its own. There’s the remarkable discovery. Then there’s the frustrating search for facts, often full of contradictions. Finally, there’s the massive legacy of the find related to colonialism and popular culture.
A good read, even if so much of this king remains unknown.
A good read, even if so much of this king remains unknown.
January 4, 2023
read harder challenge 2023: read a book with under 500 goodreads ratings
January 7, 2023
Fascinating
Her writing style is very smooth and easy to follow. There is some repetition but the story is unforgettable, A must read for people who are interested in the subject
Her writing style is very smooth and easy to follow. There is some repetition but the story is unforgettable, A must read for people who are interested in the subject
March 16, 2023
Really enjoyed listening to this on audiobook, I learned a lot and it made me interested in reading further about topics and history that wasn't on my radar before.
March 26, 2023
Detailed entertaining and full of fresh insights into this most well-covered subject. Highly recommend for any Tutophiles.
April 24, 2023
Fascinating
August 19, 2023
Pretty good read all around
December 3, 2023
This had trouble holding my interest. I would say it is a bit too detailed for general consumption. However, I do know far more about the boy king.
January 29, 2024
Estava à espera de algo diferente. Demorei um pouco a ler mas ganhei imenso com o conhecimento partilhado pelo arqueólogo. No fim existe um breve resumo que está fantástico.
May 23, 2024
One of the most enjoyable historical reads ever. Just the right amount of detail to keep it real interesting. Just a super fascinating subject.
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