PITLOCHRY
PRIMARY SCHOOL
GRADE 5 HISTORY
TASK 14
LESSON
PRESENTED BY :
MISS NGEMA
INSTRUCTIONS
• Use exam pad
• Write your name and your grade
• Refer to your textbook or any
other relevant sources of
information
• Write neatly.
INTRODUCTION
In this lesson we will talk about Tutankhamun and his grave. In our previous
lessons, we discussed a lot of things about the Ancient Egyptians such as medicine
and physicians, diseases, anatomy, physiology and clinical examinations. Today we
will focus on Tutankhamun and his tomb and what was discovered inside it.
Who was Tutankhamun?
Tutankhamun was the Egyptian pharaoh who ruled Egypt for 10 years until his
death at the age of 19 years old, around 1342 B.C. During his reign, he
accomplished little, however, his powerful advisers restored the traditional
Egyptian religion which had been set aside by his father ,Akhenaten who led the
Amarna Revolution. After his death at 19, King Tutankhamun disappeared from
history until the discovery of his tomb in 1992. Since then, studies of his tomb and
remains have revealed much information about his life and times, making him one
of the best known Egyptian Kings.
THE TOMB OF TUTANKHAMUN
In Egypt, near the ancient city of Thebes, there is a place known as the valley of the kings. It is a
dry and hot place where people would not choose to live, but is where some Egyptian pharaohs
chose to be buried because they believed that it would be too difficult for robbers to enter their
tombs to steal their precious belongings placed with them for the afterlife. Pharaohs were buried
with their precious jewels and other treasures because they believed in the afterlife. Fortunately,
Tutankhamun’s tomb was never robbed. He lay in the dark tomb for more than 3000 years in a
coffin of pure gold. With him in the tomb were toys from his childhood, ships’ oars, bottles of
perfume, beds, his golden throne, jewellery and many other things.
DISCOVERY OF THE TOMB
Tutankhamun’s tomb was discover in November 1992 by Howard Carter who was a young
Englishman. He was studying the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. He had been researching about the
valley of the kings for seven years and he was about to give up when in November 1992, one of
his workers hit something while digging in the sand and discovered steps leading down to a
walled-up door. It was dark and Carter had to light a candle to see properly. He saw from the
mist, strange animals, statues and glints of gold everywhere. It was Tutankhamun’s tomb,
perfectly preserved. This one of the greatest discoveries from ancient times that the world had
ever seen.
WHAT THE DISCOVERY OF TUTANKHAMUN’S TOMB
REVEALED ABOUT ANCIENT EGYPTIAN SOCIETY
The discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb revealed the religion and beliefs of the Ancient Egyptians.
We now know that they believed in the afterlife which means there is life after death so if a
person dies, the spirit lived on to join a body and they would need their properties or belongings
thereafter. The intact state of the tomb gave Carter and other researchers a useful information
about Ancient Egypt: it’s religion, daily life, death, burial and how pharaohs lived and ruled.
It is still not clear how Tutankhamun died, many people examined his mummy but still no exact
prediction, some think that he died of an infected leg wound while others believe that he may
have died of malaria.
WHAT WAS FOUND IN IN TUTANKHAMUN’S TOMB
Here are the findings from Tutankhamun’s tomb:
• A painted wooden casket
• A golden throne with a picture of Tutankhamun and his sister
• His toys from childhood
• A panel decorated with a picture of a horse and a chariot
• A gold –covered statue of Tutankhamun as a warrior god.
New words
words definitions
A small wooden box to keep
casket jewellery in
warrior soldier
A cart with two wheels that was
chariot pulled by horses and was for battles
and races
intact Whole, not broken or damaged.
Learner activity
1.Who was Tutankhamun?
2.Make a list of the things that were found in the tomb of
Tutankhamun.
3.After examining Tutankhamun’s mummy, how do they think
he died?
4.Define the following terms: casket, intact, chariot, warrior.
