In November 1922, British archaeologist Howard Carter and his financier Lord Carnarvon discovered the intact tomb of the boy-pharaoh Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings. Unlike most royal tombs, which had been looted in antiquity, Tutankhamun's burial chamber was filled with over 5,000 artifacts, including the famous solid gold funerary mask. The discovery sparked a global wave of 'Egyptomania' and provided unprecedented insights into the wealth, religious practices, and craftsmanship of the New Kingdom's 18th Dynasty. It also fueled legends of the 'Curse of the Pharaohs' after several people associated with the dig died shortly after. The event remains the most famous archaeological find in history, turning an obscure minor king into the most recognized face of Ancient Egypt.