Awe-Inspiring Discovery: Archaeologists Uncover a 3,000-Year-Old Secret in Tutankhamun’s Tomb

The discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922 was one of the most remarkable archaeological finds of the 20th century.

Located in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, the tomb of the young pharaoh contained over 5,000 priceless treasures, including the iconic golden death mask.

Now, more than a century later, new research suggests that Tutankhamun’s tomb still holds secrets waiting to be uncovered.

Dr. Nicholas Brown, an Egyptologist at Yale University, argues that a seemingly "humble" set of objects within the tomb has long been overlooked in its significance.

In his latest study, he sheds light on the true purpose of the clay disks and wooden rods found near Tutankhamun’s sarcophagus.

A Sacred Ritual Hidden in Plain Sight

The clay disks and rods were key elements of the "Osirian Funerary Ritual," an ancient ceremony dedicated to Osiris, the god of the underworld, which Tutankhamun himself may have revived.

Tutankhamun ascended the throne as a young boy in 1332 BCE and ruled for about a decade before his untimely death at 18 or 19 years old.

Although his reign was brief, he remains one of the most famous pharaohs of ancient Egypt due to the legendary treasures uncovered when British archaeologist Howard Carter opened his tomb in 1922.

During the excavation, archaeologists discovered an enigmatic set of objects in the burial chamber. Dr. Brown suggests that a deeper examination of their religious and archaeological context reveals their true function.

More Than Just Functional Objects

Tutankhamun’s tomb was filled with immense wealth—his golden death mask, gilded sandals, exquisite jewelry, and more. However, the seemingly simple clay disks and four wooden rods—each standing three feet tall and placed about five feet from the pharaoh’s sarcophagus—appeared unremarkable in comparison.

Initially, the clay basins were thought to be purely functional, serving as stands for more elaborate ceremonial items found nearby.

However, Dr. Brown now proposes a new interpretation: these clay disks, made from Nile River mud, were used for libations—ritual offerings of liquid to deities or to honor the dead.

Water from the Nile was likely poured into them, symbolizing purity and the rejuvenation of the deceased’s body.

Meanwhile, the wooden rods positioned near Tutankhamun’s head may have played a central role in a ceremonial "awakening" of the young pharaoh.

A Connection to Osiris

In ancient Egyptian mythology, Osiris, the god of the underworld, was said to be revived using rods placed behind his head.

Dr. Brown suggests that the arrangement of the disks and rods mirrors the awakening of Osiris, reinforcing the connection between the deceased king and the god of resurrection.

According to the American Research Center in Egypt, the earliest known depiction of the Osiris awakening ritual dates back to Egypt’s 19th Dynasty (1292–1189 BCE).

However, since Tutankhamun reigned earlier, during the 18th Dynasty, Dr. Brown believes the young pharaoh may have pioneered this ritual at the time of his death.

"I am quite convinced that what we are seeing inside Tutankhamun’s burial chamber is likely the earliest known version of this ritual found in the archaeological record," he told New Scientist.

Restoring Ancient Beliefs

Osiris, one of the most significant gods in ancient Egyptian religion, was the "Lord of the Underworld" and judge of the dead.

According to myth, Osiris was murdered by his brother Set and dismembered, with his body parts scattered across Egypt. His wife and sister, Isis, gathered the pieces and restored him, briefly resurrecting him.

Dr. Brown notes that Tutankhamun’s predecessor, Akhenaten, had altered Egypt’s religious beliefs, shifting the focus to the worship of Aten, the sun disk.

"This also affected official beliefs about the afterlife, where resurrection through Osiris was no longer permitted," Dr. Brown told MailOnline.

"Tutankhamun and the officials acting on his behalf had the opportunity to adjust, modify, and reshape royal funerary practices, bringing Osiris back to the forefront."

Alternative Interpretations

Jacobus van Dijk, an Egyptologist at the University of Groningen who was not involved in the study, agrees that the disks had a ritual purpose but remains uncertain about the rods.

He speculates they may have been part of a different, lesser-known ceremony called the "Spell of the Four Torches."

In this ritual, four torchbearers stood at the corners of the sarcophagus, guiding the king’s soul to the underworld. The torches were then extinguished in the clay basins, which were filled with "the milk of a white cow."

A Discovery That Continues to Amaze

Dr. Brown’s study, published in the Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, emerges more than a century after Howard Carter and his benefactor, Lord Carnarvon, unearthed Tutankhamun’s tomb.

On November 4, 1922, in the Valley of the Kings, Carter’s team discovered a staircase leading to a sealed door marked with oval stamps and hieroglyphics.

They spent months meticulously documenting an antechamber packed with thrones, alabaster vessels, musical instruments, and dismantled chariots.

Less than three weeks later, Carter peered through a small breach in another doorway deeper inside the tomb. Holding up a candle, he glimpsed an astonishing sight.

"Can you see anything?" asked Lord Carnarvon.

Carter, overwhelmed, famously replied: "Yes—wonderful things!"

Finally, in February of the following year, the team opened the burial chamber and discovered the sarcophagus—the magnificent stone coffin that held the mummified remains of the young pharaoh.

Tutankhamun’s tomb remains one of the most extraordinary archaeological discoveries in history, filled with treasures meant to aid the young king on his journey to the afterlife.