Nov. 4, 1922: Archaeologists find entrance to King Tut’s tomb

When British researcher Howard Carter’s team of archaeologists discovered the nearly intact tomb of King Tutankhamun, better known as King Tut, they ignited an intense global passion for all things Egypt. They also jump-started an influx of tourists that, while it’s occasionally waned due to political instability, has only grown over the ensuing decades.

The team found the tomb in the Valley of the Kings, an area around Luxor (formerly Thebes) along the Nile River that is full of ancient tombs and monuments to the dead. Unlike other tombs, this one was not extensively looted in the hundreds of years after the king’s burial, so it gave researchers a more complete picture of how royals were buried.

Tutankhamun had largely been forgotten, but the discovery of his intact mummy in a well-preserved tomb whetted the world's imagination. Entertainers wrote songs about him, including "Old King Tut," and filmmakers imagined the horrors of a mummy returning from the dead. People watched those movies in 1920s theaters decorated with Egyptian motifs.

King Tut ruled for about nine years, starting in 1333 BC and ending with his death a decade or so later. During his reign, he ordered new temples and monuments built to honor Egyptian gods that had fallen out of favor. They included the Karnak Temple Complex, whose giant inscribed pillars are still popular with tourists.

Scientists have long speculated about the cause of the king's death, pointing to many possible genetic and environmental possibilities. The latest: that he was killed in a violent chariot accident.

Although artifacts from the tomb have traveled extensively, you’ll have to go to Egypt if you want to visit King Tut himself: his body is still preserved in its original tomb in the Valley of the Kings.