Tutankhamun archaeological records go online in new searchable archive
Tutankhamun Spatial Archive - a new searchable resource
November 1925, Tutankhamun is unwrapped. November 2025, the archaeological records of that historic event go online
One hundred years after Tutankhamun was first unwrapped and his iconic funerary mask was first revealed, his story is being re-revealed; this time online. Oxford University's Griffith Institute, which is part of the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, has launched a new database bringing together every archaeological record from the tomb’s discovery.
Discovered in November 1925,Tutankhamun’s largely intact burial captured the world’s imagination and transformed archaeology. Over the next decade, excavator Howard Carter and photographer Harry Burton meticulously documented the tomb’s more than 5,000 objects, creating one of the most detailed archaeological archives ever assembled.
The collection includes thousands of photographs and object cards, hundreds of drawings and notebook pages filled with observations, conservation notes, and scientific analyses, as well as more than fifty maps and plans.
Among the most significant events was the nine-day process between 11 and 19 November 1925, marking the first systematic unwrapping of a pharoah’s intact mummy. More than a hundred objects were revealed within the linen bandages, and Carter’s careful documentation set new standards for archaeological recording, conservation, and scientific study.
Following Carter’s death in 1939, this unique archive was donated to the Griffith Institute, the centre for Egyptology at the University of Oxford and home to the most significant Egyptological archive outside Egypt. Beyond shedding light on Tutankhamun’s burial, these records offer an extraordinary insight into early twentieth-century excavation methods and the development of archaeological practice itself. Although digitised and made publicly accessible between 1998-2012, the original online resource had significant limitations: the records were not interconnected or searchable, and the images were only available in low resolution.
Daniela Rosenow, Manager of the Griffith Institute at the University of Oxford, said: “The Griffith Institute has a responsibility to curate the records and share the Tutankhamun Archive by making it freely available to everyone. The new website opens up completely new and more intuitive ways to explore the excavation documentation — not just for researchers, but for anyone interested in archaeology and history.
“It will feature a fully integrated and searchable database that interlinks every record, offers high-resolution images and shows previously unpublished material. There is also a section for schools, with interactive games, and another called “Stories,” where our team writes e.g. about specific objects from the tomb, important events, or the people who took part in the excavation. This isn’t just a new website — it’s about opening up the discovery to everyone to see it as a living story, by combining knowledge, storytelling, and technology."
Supported by the John Fell Fund and developed in collaboration with Agile Collective, the Griffith Institute is in the process of developing a fully integrated and searchable database that interlinks every record, enabling users to explore the material in new and dynamic ways.
To mark the centenary of the unwrapping, the Griffith Institute is releasing the Beta phase of the new Tutankhamun Spatial Archive, featuring all records created during the 1925 unwrapping and examination of Tutankhamun’s mummy.
We invite you to explore the new Tutankhamun Spatial Archive, share your feedback, and rediscover the fascinating story of the young king’s unwrapping a century on. The Griffith Institute team will continue uploading new material weekly, aiming to complete the process over the next two years. Support our ongoing work through donations or by becoming a Griffith Institute Tutankhamun Patron, helping to preserve and share this extraordinary archaeological legacy.
Visit the Tutankhamun Spatial Archive Beta HERE.
You can also read more about this story on the BBC website.
Photo credit: Griffith Institute/Harry Burton
