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Primary sourcePhotograph1920s

Opening the Doors of the Fourth Shrine in Tutankhamun's Tomb

Harry Burton · 1920s

A Harry Burton photograph showing Howard Carter and Arthur Callender opening the fourth shrine covering Tutankhamun's sarcophagus.

This photograph records the opening of the shrine protecting Tutankhamun's own sarcophagus, a key moment in uncovering his burial.

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Black and white photograph of two men inside a tomb opening the carved, hieroglyph-covered gilded doors of a shrine. One man in a light cap kneels and reaches toward the doors, while another man in a jacket leans over from the right. Carved relief figures and inscriptions cover the panels.
Harry Burton, opening of the fourth shrine in Tutankhamun's tomb, 1920s. Museum of Mediterranean and Near Eastern Antiquities, Sweden.

About this source

What it is

Taken by Harry Burton during Howard Carter's excavation in the 1920s, this photograph captures the moment the doors of the fourth and innermost shrine surrounding Tutankhamun's sarcophagus were opened. Carter kneels at the doors while Arthur Callender stands beside him. It is held by the Museum of Mediterranean and Near Eastern Antiquities, Sweden.

Why it matters

According to the excavation record, the carved goddesses on these doors signalled that the team had reached the heart of the nested shrines protecting the king's burial. The photograph preserves a turning point in the discovery, showing how Carter and his team documented each stage before disturbing the tomb's contents.

Look closer

  • What can you tell about the men's actions and expressions in this moment?
  • Why might the carved goddesses on the doors have mattered to the ancient Egyptians who sealed the tomb?
  • What does this photograph not show about the work that came before and after this moment?

This photograph is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Tutankhamun on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Photograph of Tutankhamun's Shawabti Figure

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Black and white photograph of an ancient Egyptian shrine interior. Carved hieroglyphic panels line open gilded doors, and a stone sarcophagus with a winged carved design is visible between them in shadow.Photograph

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