EGYPT Archaeologist Dr. Zahi Hawass Exclusively Reveals Unearthed Tutankhamun Secret: Howard Carter’s Hidden Gravestone Message Discovered

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Little-Known Egyptian archaeologist Dr. Hawass revealed to Excess.co.uk that there was one object that caught Mr. Carter’s eye – so much so he ordered the inscription to be written on his grave too. He said: “My favourite treasure is the wishing cup and the reason is because it is beautiful, it is made of alabaster.”

This was also Howard Carter’s favorite piece.

The message features on Tutankhamun’s treasure (Image: GETTY)

Howard Carter with the body (Image: GETTY)

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“On that piece there is a religious prayer that Howard Carter requested to be written on his grave.

“When I visited his tomb last year, I found the inscription of this cup written on it [his grave].

“My second [favourite] is a small head, a golden figure on a necklace, it’s beautiful.”

Known as the Lotus Chalice, the cup was one of the first objects which Carter and his excavators found on entering the tomb.

Dr. Zahi Hawass (Image: EXPRESS)

Translated on Carter’s grave, the message reads: “May your spirit live, may your soul spend millions of years, you who love Thebes, sitting with your face to the north wind, your eyes beholding happiness.

The cup is currently on display at the Saatchi Gallery in London following the opening of the exhibition “Tutankhamun: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh.”

Dr. Hawass added: “All of these 150 artefacts were inserted in the tomb which will help the deceased to fly straight to the afterlife.

“Each one of them is unique, if you look at it, it will capture the heart of any visitor to this exhibition.

“I don’t believe in the afterlife, but it was the belief of the afterlife that allowed the ancient Egyptians to build the pyramids and the tombs.

The golden cup was previously found in Tutankhamun’s tomb. (Image: GETTY)

The Tutankhamun exhibition is currently in (Image: GETTY)

“Without that belief, you would never have this great civilization building pyramids and building tombs and all the unique artefacts that helped them to get to the afterlife.

“It was the most important thing, it built Egypt.”

For the first time ever, 60 items have left the country, before they return to their permanent home in the new Grand Egyptian Museum next year.

Dr. Tarek El Awady, curator of the exhibition detailed to Express.co.uk the huge task of organising it.

Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922 (Image: GETTY)

Howard Carter and his supporters in 1922 (Image: GETTY)

He said: “It’s a very exciting thing to be able to tour the world with King Tutankhamun.

“But it’s also a huge responsibility, we are travelling with 150 masterpieces from the time of Tutankhamun.

“So we are working according to well-placed plans for the transportation, the packing of the artefacts, the installation of the artefacts, and we do have a well-trained team to do the job for the King.”

Dr. Awady also rebuffed claims that any of the items could possibly be cursed.

He continued: “The first spoken words by Howard Carter to describe the treasures were ‘wonderful things’.

“After the discovery, a few months later, Lord Carnarvon died and because of the news of his death, the news was spread everywhere about the curse of the mummy, it was very interesting, but every tiny incident was then related to this curse.

“I have to tell you that I have been working for the last 25 years with the treasures of Tutankhamun and I have never experienced a bad accident.

“We take care of the moments and our goal is to preserve it and keep it safe for the next generations.”