The blue plaque,
that is in excellent condition, reads:
| |
English
Heritage
Howard
Carter
1874-1939
Egyptologist
and discoverer
of
the tomb of
Tutankhamun
lived here
|
|
The Biography.com website tells us about
Carter:
"Born in 1874,
Howard Carter first went to Egypt as a young artist hired to sketch artifacts.
He went on to become an important archaeologist, and the lead excavator of the
tomb of King Tutankhamun.
Early
Life:
Howard Carter was born on May 9, 1874,
in Kensington, London. His father Samuel Carter was a successful artist. Howard
was a sickly child, and was sent to live with his aunts in Norfolk. He had
private home schooling, and had an artistic streak from an early age. When his
father painted a portrait of a well-known Egyptologist, the young Howard's
interest was sparked.
The British had
occupied Egypt in the late 19th centry. This period saw an increased European
interest in Egyptology, the study of ancient Egypt. Many prominent British
scientists and archaeologists were active in excavating ancient
sites.
Archaeology:
Through his
father's connections, Howard Carter found a job working for an archaeologist who
needed an artist to draw his findings. Howard headed to Egypt in 1891, at the
age of 17, where he was to work on the Egypt Exploration Fund's excavation of
the Middle Kingdom tombs at Beni Hassan. For the next several years, Carter
worked under different archaeologists at sits including Amarna, Deir el Babri,
Thebes, Edfu and Abu Simbel. Carter earned praise for using innovative and
modern new methods to draw wall reliefs and other
findings.
In 1907, Carter
was hired by wealthy English aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who was fascinated by
Egyptology. With Carnarvon's backing, Carter led the excavation of Egyptian
nobles' tombs. In 1914, Carnarvon received a license to dig at KV62, the site
where it was believed the tomb of King Tutankhamun rest. Carnarvon gave the job
to Howard Carter. Carter hired a crew of workers to help find the tomb, which
was believed to be at a site in the Valley of the Kings designated
KV62.
Discovery
of King Tut's Tomb:
After a few weeks of
digging, a boy who worked as a water fetcher on the excavation started to dig in
the sand with a stick. He found a stone step, and called Carter over. Carter's
crew found a flight of steps that led down to a sealed door, and a secret
chamber. On November 6, 1922, Carter and Lord Carnrvon entered the tomb, where
they found an immense collection of gold and treasures. On February 16, 1923,
Carter opened the innermost chamber and found the sarcophagus of King
Tut.
The
discovery made a huge impact. King Tut's tomb was by far the most intact of all
the tombs that were excavated, and artifacts were well-preserved, including the
sarcophagus and Tut's mummy. An interest in ancient Egypt and Egyptology was
sparked around the world, largely in thanks to the uncovered tomb of
Tutankhamun.
Later Years:
The immense
wealth of artifacts and treasures found in King Tut's tomb took decades to
excavate. Howard Carter remained in Egypt, working on the site, until the
excavation was completed in 1932. Carter returned to London and spent his
later years working as a collector for various museums. He toured the United
States, giving lectures about Egypt and King Tut, and contributing to Americans’
interest in ancient Egypt.
Carter died in
London on March 2, 1939, of lymphoma. He was buried in Putney Vale Cemetery in
London."