Tutankhamun's ancient trumpets featured in historic 1939 broadcast

In April 1939, a BBC radio broadcast reached an estimated 150 million listeners, featuring the sound of the ancient Egyptian trumpets belonging to Pharaoh Tutankhamun. The instruments, one silver and one likely bronze or copper, were discovered among the treasures in the boy-king’s tomb.

According to Salima Ikram, a professor of Egyptology at the American University in Cairo, the trumpets may have been used in military, religious, or ceremonial processions. The ornate instruments feature intricate imagery of Egyptian gods and floral motifs. The pair, representing the sun and the moon, may have symbolized the 12 hours of day and night during the pharaoh’s journey to the afterlife.

The historical recording was nearly derailed when a silver trumpet shattered during rehearsals after a modern mouthpiece was applied. The incident reportedly caused significant shock to archaeologist Alfred Lucas, a member of Howard Carter’s original excavation team.