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Harry Burton / Alamy

Howard Carter cleans the second of three coffins of the pharaoh Tutankhamun, 1925.

Hussein Abdel-Rassoul, the 12 year-old water carrier who is often reported as the discoverer of the first step to the tomb on 9 November, 1922.

A cracked – but intact – seal, one of many found throughout Tutankhamun's tomb, November 1922. It is the necropolis seal, depicting the jackal god of the underworld, Anubis, watching over nine bound captives. The tomb had in fact been entered at some point in antiquity, evidence by a hole dug in the outer door, then re-covered. This outer door was stamped with the necropolis seal, with some featuring the cartouche containing the name of the king himself. The inner chambers containing the king's sarcophagus and treasury were undisturbed.

The treasury, adjacent to the burial chamber with its enormous sarcophagi, contained some of the tomb's most enigmatic objects. These including the canopic shrine, at the rear of this image, protected by the four female divinities and containing the alabaster canopic jars containing the deceased king's organs. Also pictured is the jackal-formed Anubis shrine, which was thought to have been used during the funeral procession, and was intended to protect the king's resting place.

Howard Carter at work on the second coffin of a nested three in the burial chamber of Tutankhamun, 1925.

Carter at work with Arthur Callander (left) on the door to the sepulchral (burial) chamber, 1923.

The antechamber was the first room of the tomb proper to be opened by Carter's team – containing the 'wonderful things' of his memorable quote.

Evelyn Herbert (far left), Lord Carnarvon, Howard Carter and Arthur Callander stand at the entrance to Tutankhamun's tomb, November 1922. Lady Evelyn was often in the company of her father in his Egyptian endeavours; she and Carter were apparently close, with rumours of a romance, which she later refuted. Biographer TGH James notes there was no evidence Carter formed any significant personal relationships throughout his life.

The site of the tomb's discovery in the Valley of the Kings, outside Luxor. The large opening in the picture's centre shows the entrance to the tomb of Ramses VI; the entrance to Tutankhamun's tomb lies beneath it to the right, beneath the site of worker's huts dating from the time of the grander, later tomb above.