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King Tutankhamun: The Treasures of the Tomb
The ultimate book on King Tut and his tomb--the most exciting archaeological find the world has ever known. The fabulous treasures of Tutankhamun have fascinated the public since their discovery by Howard Carter in 1922. Many books have been written about the boy king and his tomb, but this volume by world-renowned Egyptologist Zahi Hawass provides the reader with a unique perspective on this extraordinary archaeological find. Images by pioneering photographer Sandro Vannini offer distinctive views of almost 200 of the spectacular artifacts found at the burial site. King Tutankhamun uses carefully selected objects to illustrate the entire ten years of painstaking excavation and documentation carried out by Carter and his team. Organized to follow the chambers of the tomb in the order in which they were excavated, it illuminates the site’s most magnificent artifacts. An experienced field archaeologist who has made many important discoveries himself, Dr. Hawass imbues the text with his own unique voice, imagining how exploration of the tomb must have felt for Carter and providing invaluable information about the objects. Sandro Vannini’s photographs are extraordinary as well, allowing the objects to be seen in even more detail than is possible with the naked eye. 324 illustrations, 317 in color plus 26 foldouts
296 pages, Hardcover
First published December 3, 2007
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135 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 23, 2022
A fantastic coffee table book well worth putting on anybody’s bookshelf.
November 23, 2025
A century ago, a sealed door in the Valley of the Kings cracked open — and the world inhaled history’s most intoxicating breath of gold, myth, and mortality. King Tutankhamun: The Treasures of the Tomb isn’t just another book about the boy-king; it’s the closest thing to stepping through Howard Carter’s lantern-lit doorway and watching eternity glimmer back at you.
Zahi Hawass writes with the authority of a scholar and the pulse of a storyteller, reconstructing the decade-long excavation with both reverence and thrill — the dust, the silence, the heartbeat-quickening moment when ancient craftsmanship meets modern eyes. Paired with Sandro Vannini’s hauntingly precise photography, every artifact becomes intimate: scarabs that once guarded a royal soul, gold inlays that survived empires, relics so delicate they feel like they’re whispering.
Page by page, chamber by chamber, this book isn’t just a catalog of treasures — it’s a pilgrimage. A reminder that time erodes bones and kingdoms, but beauty, obsession, and a pharaoh’s quiet defiance can outlive death itself.
And honestly — there’s nothing more powerful than quiet defiance. I’ve always loved history, but Ancient Egyptian history is the one carved deepest into my heart. I grew up watching Dr. Joann Fletcher’s documentary about the discovery of Nefertiti — the only woman to rule Egypt as a pharaoh — and I still hope that in my lifetime we’ll finally learn where Cleopatra is buried. I also grew up following the discoveries of Zahi Hawass, and it makes me genuinely happy to see an Egyptian scholar reclaiming and honoring the history of his own land.
I’m still not sure how to feel — and continue to investigate — whether it’s right for mummies to be in the British Museum instead of resting in their homeland. But I do know what feels correct: they should never have been moved from their tombs in the first place. Study them, yes — but study them where they were found, or return them and let life continue to flow gently over their sacred resting places.
If Howard Carter worked in questionable ways, the least we can do is appreciate what he uncovered. I’m so happy to finally own my first Zahi Hawass book, and I can’t wait to collect the rest for my shelves. I’ve heard Howard Carter’s name all my life, but never from the perspective of someone truly reliable — so I’m excited to finally understand him through Hawass’s eyes
The writing and photography in this book transport you into a romantic Egypt. Although the tomb was opened in late November 1922, I feel as though I’m standing in the Valley of the Kings on a warm summer night, the sky fading into a gradient of deep blues, the moon watching over everything — a witness to the beauty that only nature and history allow us to see.
The book catalogues every object found in King Tut’s tomb. The photographs are breathtaking and beautifully annotated. I expected a bit more historical depth, but honestly? It’s still absolutely amazing.
Zahi Hawass writes with the authority of a scholar and the pulse of a storyteller, reconstructing the decade-long excavation with both reverence and thrill — the dust, the silence, the heartbeat-quickening moment when ancient craftsmanship meets modern eyes. Paired with Sandro Vannini’s hauntingly precise photography, every artifact becomes intimate: scarabs that once guarded a royal soul, gold inlays that survived empires, relics so delicate they feel like they’re whispering.
Page by page, chamber by chamber, this book isn’t just a catalog of treasures — it’s a pilgrimage. A reminder that time erodes bones and kingdoms, but beauty, obsession, and a pharaoh’s quiet defiance can outlive death itself.
And honestly — there’s nothing more powerful than quiet defiance. I’ve always loved history, but Ancient Egyptian history is the one carved deepest into my heart. I grew up watching Dr. Joann Fletcher’s documentary about the discovery of Nefertiti — the only woman to rule Egypt as a pharaoh — and I still hope that in my lifetime we’ll finally learn where Cleopatra is buried. I also grew up following the discoveries of Zahi Hawass, and it makes me genuinely happy to see an Egyptian scholar reclaiming and honoring the history of his own land.
I’m still not sure how to feel — and continue to investigate — whether it’s right for mummies to be in the British Museum instead of resting in their homeland. But I do know what feels correct: they should never have been moved from their tombs in the first place. Study them, yes — but study them where they were found, or return them and let life continue to flow gently over their sacred resting places.
If Howard Carter worked in questionable ways, the least we can do is appreciate what he uncovered. I’m so happy to finally own my first Zahi Hawass book, and I can’t wait to collect the rest for my shelves. I’ve heard Howard Carter’s name all my life, but never from the perspective of someone truly reliable — so I’m excited to finally understand him through Hawass’s eyes
The writing and photography in this book transport you into a romantic Egypt. Although the tomb was opened in late November 1922, I feel as though I’m standing in the Valley of the Kings on a warm summer night, the sky fading into a gradient of deep blues, the moon watching over everything — a witness to the beauty that only nature and history allow us to see.
The book catalogues every object found in King Tut’s tomb. The photographs are breathtaking and beautifully annotated. I expected a bit more historical depth, but honestly? It’s still absolutely amazing.
January 21, 2024
This book isn't a comprehensive catalogue of Tutankhamun's burial goods; for that, the closest thing is The Complete Tutankhamun. Instead, it contains a selection, and while some of the humbler artifacts such as pottery vessels and wooden funerary models appear here, the focus is clearly on the most spectacular. The book lists artifacts by the place where they were found, beginning with the entrance corridor and moving through the chambers of the tomb, accompanied by photos of the tomb during the original excavation and current photos of the decoration on the walls of the burial chamber. Hawass's commentary is good, though unexceptional; the real focus is Vannini's magnificent photographs, many of which are given gatefold pages. Some reveal rarely-seen details (on the many scarab-shaped bracelets and amulets, the jewelers sculpted even the beetles' undersides, something I've never seen elsewhere in Egyptian art), while others simply depict familiar objects exceptionally well (I've never seen a photo of the inner coffin that conveyed its beauty so effectively).
February 4, 2024
Just fresh off of Howard Carter’s book, this expertly-executed and incredibly well-researched addition really puts into better context what HC had mainly described. I saw the author in a Netflix documentary as well as he sought for the tomb of Huni near Saqqara; I really enjoyed his style of writing - he treated each subject very simply yet fully so that you may open the book on any page and get a full understanding of what you’re looking at without feeling the author is writing past your understanding. In some situations it felt repetitious, but that repetition helps in learning.
March 21, 2025
This is a masterful study of the objects discovered inside the tomb of the legendary Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun. The book begins with a brief overview of the discovery of the tomb and then proceeds to talk about each room within. Accompanying each room section of the book are the objects found inside them. And every item is beautifully photographed and discussed in detail.
This book is every bit as sumptuous as the tomb itself. A nice way to spend an afternoon contemplating the wonders of ancient Egypt.
This book is every bit as sumptuous as the tomb itself. A nice way to spend an afternoon contemplating the wonders of ancient Egypt.
December 19, 2021
The pages are mostly high quality pictures of all the items found in Tutankhamun's tomb. There is writing to go along with each picture explaining where the items were placed in the tomb and what they would have been used for. You will be in awe of the beauty and quality of the pictures in this book, as well as the craftsmanship from the Egyptians had who made these artifacts.
May 24, 2018
This is a brilliant collection of information about the treasures in King Tutankhamun's tomb. It also has a lot of extra details that I didn't know beforehand, mostly about the red tape that Howard Carter had to deal with after the tomb was discovered. It was very fascinating to read!
January 28, 2024
What an incredible book! Just gorgeous photos of the wonderful objects found in the tomb together with some background information. Check out King Tuts sandals painted with depictions of his enemies so that he could squish them every time he took a step. Love it! Highly recommend.
February 17, 2019
Amazing story with incredible photographs of the treasures. Difficult to imagine how all these beautiful objects were in one man's tomb. Interesting descriptions and interpretations of the symbols.
July 26, 2019
Such an amazing collection of photos.
December 27, 2018
Uskomaton teos, laadukkaasti toimitettu ja upea kuvitus. Numeroitu lahjakirjasarja, onneksi omasta kirjastosta löytyi. Kaikille historian ystäville.
February 10, 2012
Great photography of artifacts. Interesting opinions by Egyptologist Zahi A. Hawass...who incedentally, does not believe in the 'mummy's curse'. Fascinating to hear more of the facts and timeline of the find, excavation, preservation and politics surrounding King Tut's tomb.
June 29, 2018
I have read many a book on Tutankhamen--he's been an obsession of mine since childhood--and this is one of the loveliest I've encountered. The text I could take or leave; this is definitely a book to read for the pictures.
December 13, 2010
Fantastic book. I'm amazed at the craftsmanship of the ancient Egyptians and what they were able to do. And the photographs of all the items from King Tut's tomb are breathtaking.
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June 10, 2019Excellent.
April 26, 2020
This book is a treasure in my library by itself
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews