Ep 1: A Valley of Destiny

Ever heard that saying about how the journey begins with the first step? It couldn't have been more true for Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun. Everything changed one fateful day in 1922 when British archeologist Howard Carter uncovered 16 steps leading to the Boy King's long-lost tomb. The world hasn't been the same since...


Tom Hardwick, consulting curator of HMNS’ Hall of Ancient Egypt, and Kat Havens, HMNS’ director of curriculum and content, introduce us to our leading men and the desert site that shaped their destinies: the Valley of the Kings. Mentioned in this episode:

• The Tomb of Tutankhamen, Howard Carter
• Howard Carter: The Path to Tutankhamun, T.G.H. James
• Tutankhamun: The Untold Story, Thomas Hoving.
• Journal of Howard Carter, entry Sunday, Nov. 26, 1922. The Griffith Institute.

Want to Dig Deeper? When researching this episode, we read:

• Treasured: How Tutankhamun Shaped a Century, Christina Riggs
• In the Valley of the Kings: Howard Carter and the Mystery of King Tutankhamun’s Tomb, Daniel Meyerson

How are we doing? Send us a hieroglyphic at [e-mail].

Visit our website for more info about the Houston Museum of Natural Science https://www.hmns.org/