The sarcophagus had not been touched for more than 3000 years, Carter noticed that their was no seal on the outer most wall of the shrine, had the robbers been here to? Sliding back the bolts to the outer doors, they slowly swung open to reveal a further shrine, again bolted but this one had the seal, a jackal and nine captives but this seal was INTACT. What stood in front of Carter was a masterpiece of carving.

Along with perfume jars made of ivory, sticks and bows lined the floor.  More doors were opened, three more in all, until...

'The decisive moment was at hand!  An indescribable moment for the archaeologist!  What was beneath and what did that fourth shrine contain?  With intense excitement i drew back the bolts of the last and unsealed doors; they slowly swung open, and there, filling the entire area within, effectually barring any further progress, stood an immense yellow quartize sarcophagus, intact, with the lid still firmly fixed in its place, just as the pious hands had left it.' -Howard Carter.

'When Carter and I opened the doors of the third and fourth shrines and beheld the massive stone sarcophagus within, i felt for the first time the majesty of the dead Pharaoh's actual presence' -James Henry Breasted.

On February 12th 1924 the equipment was brought in to remove the lid of the sarcophagus, the lid, weighing a ton and a quarter was slowly lifted into the air, the truth about what was contained inside was about to be told...