Carnarvon, Lord (1866-1923), was an English nobleman who became famous as an amateur Egyptologist, someone who studies the culture and history of ancient Egypt. Carnarvon sponsored the British archaeologist Howard Carter’s excavations in Egypt that lead to the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922. It is the only tomb of an ancient Egyptian king to be discovered almost completely undamaged. Carnarvon’s death, only five months after the discovery, inspired the legend that a deadly curse protected King Tutankhamun’s tomb. 
Carnarvon first visited Egypt in 1903 and quickly became interested in Egyptology. He had little training in archaeology, but his wealth and position allowed him to obtain permission to excavate at Thebes, a major religious center of ancient Egypt. In 1907, after his first excavation failed, Carnarvon hired Carter to supervise the excavations. By 1917, Carnarvon and Carter began exploring the Valley of the Kings, a region that was used as a cemetery by the pharaohs (kings) of ancient Egypt. There, Carter discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun in November 1922. He and Carnarvon, along with Carnarvon’s daughter and one of Carter’s assistants, were the first to enter the tomb and view the contents.
George Edward Stanhope Molyneux Herbert was born on June 26, 1866, in Berkshire, England. In 1890, he became the fifth Earl of Carnarvon. He died on April 5, 1923. Medical experts believe his death was most likely caused by an infected mosquito bite, which led to septicemia (blood poisoning) and then pneumonia.
See also Carter, Howard; Tutankhamun.
