Howard Carter's hands were trembling when he first set eyes on the chambers of the tomb of King Tutankhamun. It was Nov. 26, 1922, and just weeks before, Carter had stumbled upon the stairs leading to the burial site while he dug near the tomb of Rameses VI.
"At first I could see nothing, the hot air escaping from the chamber causing the candle flame to flicker," Carter wrote years later, "but presently, as my eyes grew accustomed to the light, details of the room within emerged slowly from the mist, strange animals, statues, and gold - everywhere the glint of gold.
It would take Carter's team another year and a half to lift the lid of Tutankhamun's sarcophagus. Inside, the archeologists found a coffin made entirely of gold, holding the remains of the boy king.
The tomb of the mysterious Tut became the world's newest craze, turning Carter into the most famous Egyptologist of his time. Hundreds of tourists staked out near the excavation site, hoping to catch a glimpse of the the riches carried outside.
To mark the anniversary of Carter's monumental discovery, HuffPost World brings you some of the stunning images taking during the excavations in 1922.
Undated photo of English archaeologist and Egyptologist Howard Carter, standing with his hands behind his back left, watches as the covering is taken off pall near the entrance to the tomb of King Tutankhamun, in Luxor, Egypt. (AP Photo)
This sarcophagus is among the many treasures excavated from the tomb of King Tutankhamun, Egypt, 1920s (AP Photo)
Howard Carter, the archaeologist who discovered Tutankhamun's tomb, is shown examining King Tut's sarcophagus, date unknown. (AP Photo)
Ancient artifacts are removed during the excavations of the tomb of King Tutankhamun, 1920s. (AP Photo)
This is a general view of the exterior of the tomb of Egypt's King Tutankhamun, where many ancient treasures have been found, 1920s. (AP Photo)
This sarcophagus was among the findings in the excavations of the tomb of King Tutankhamun, 1920s. (AP Photo)
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CORRECTION: A caption said Tutankhamen's tomb is located near Cairo. The caption has been corrected to reflect that King Tut's tomb is located in Luxor.