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Exert's from Carter:
The burial chamber, or sepulchral chamber, contained the mummified Tutankhamen. Gorgeous in its architectural execution, upon entering the small room, a huge shrine was erected to protect the king's sarcophagus. Grandiose in size, the shrine left little room for navigation. Carter explains the dimensions of the shrine as "So enormous was this structure (17 feet by 11 feet, and 9 feet high) that it filled within a little the entire area of the chamber, a space of some two feet only separating it..." Despite its narrow appearance, the walls of the burial chamber were exquisite decorated. When opening the shrine at its east end, another shrine was underneath the first one. This shrine was bolted and sealed, which erupted an emotion unbearable to all those on the excavation team because it meant the sarcophagus, hence Tut's body, lay untouched. After careful attention to the structure of the shrine, it was revealed that in fact, four shrines protected the mummy of the deceased pharaoh. Each shrine was encrusted with gold leaf and inscribed with the traditional spells and writings that promise the passage of the king to eternity. Also noted, each shrine was built as a framework or box to protect the pharaoh, being that, each inner shrine had no floor. Beneath the last shrine was the sarcophagus of King Tutankhamen. Its lid was made of pink granite, painted to compliment the base, and protected three coffins that enclosed the body of the boy king. Directly under the sarcophagus, was the first coffin that was wood overlaid with painted gold. The second coffin was also decorated in the same flare. Only the final third coffin held a surprise, its structure was entirely of solid gold!
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