I was privileged to see the King Tut exhibit at the Met in 1979. I will never forget the funerary mask. I stared into the 3,000-year-old black eyes for half an hour, mesmerized. The mask was about a quarter inch thick of solid gold, decorated with blue lapis lazuli. My connection to Tut, to history, was completely consuming. I remember the underside of the mask was covered with line after line of incomprehensible hieroglyphics. No doubt praising the young king for all of time.

The world owes Howard Carter a debt of gratitude for fulfilling the Egyptian promise to King Tutankhamun of eternal life.