Gale Digital Scholar Lab allows students ability to uncover new historical connections for King Tut’s Tomb
This article was originally published, here.
Researchers and the curious public can see one of the most significant archeological discoveries of the 20th century in a whole new light for the first time in nearly 100 years.
November 4th, 1922 was when archaeologist Howard Carter discovered King Tut’s tomb in Luxor, Egypt, 2022 marks its historical 100-year anniversary. In observance of this historical anniversary, using the Gale Digital Scholar Lab, the University of Washington students discover new connections to King Tut’s tomb. Researchers and the curious public can see one of the most significant archeological discoveries of the 20th century in a whole new light for the first time in nearly 100 years. The University of Washington students showcase groundbreaking digital humanities (DH) research on the Tutankhamun Centenary: 1922–2022 website. The Tut Talks project was created by masters and undergraduate students using tools to make previously inaccessible collections publicly accessible. Howard Carter’s private papers are included in the collection. The excavation and discovery of the tomb are also featured in articles from The Times of London.
Dr. Sarah Ketchley, project sponsor, and affiliate instructor, at the University of Washington Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, says;
“There has long been a wealth of information on the discovery of King Tut’s tomb, but it was not aggregated, curated, or highly accessible until relatively recently, when archives such as the Griffith Institute in Oxford, U.K., started putting material online. The Tut Talks DH project is not only important due to its interesting subject matter; it also highlights the critical role DH plays in academia to connect our understanding of the past, present, and future.”
There are five exhibits in The Tutankhamun Centenary: 1922–2022:
- Egyptomania: Research focuses on how the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb influenced British newspapers’ advertising during a period of renewed interest in Ancient Egypt.
- Lindsley Foote Hall Diaries: Student observations about transcribing handwritten diaries using Trankscribus are showcased in this exhibit of a draftsman who worked in Egypt.
- The Times of London: Contains 140 articles published from 1922 to 1927.
- The Pharaoh’s Curse and King Tutankhamun: Study of the Pharaoh’s Curse.
- The Howard Carter Collection: Collection of personal letters and documents from Howard Carter’s career in Egypt from 1902–1932.
Tut Talks commemorates 100 years since the tomb was discovered in Luxor, Egypt, in November 1922. It is a collection of work from the University of Washington Master’s of Library and Information Science (MLIS) Capstone students and NEAR E 485 students.
