
A painstaking restoration process that will last eight months has begun on the 3,300-year-old tomb of Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun.

The gilded outer coffin has been removed from the tomb of 'King Tut' for the first time since it was discovered in 1922.

Tutankhamun, known as the 'Golden Pharaoh', was an 18th dynasty king who ruled from the age of eight to 19. He died in 1324BC and is best known for being the first royal tomb to be discovered almost entirely intact.

Scroll down for video

King Tut's gilded outer coffin has been removed from the king's tomb for the first time since it was discovered in 1922 (pictured)

Tutankhamun, known as the 'Golden Pharaoh', was an 18th dynasty king who ruled from the age of eight to 19. He died in 1324BC and is best known for being the first royal tomb to be discovered almost entirely intact

Restoration work has begun on the 3,300-year-old tomb of Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun to repair the coffin (pictured). He was buried in the Valley of the Kings and discovered by British archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922

He was buried in the Valley of the Kings and discovered by British archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922. His tomb was filled with royal treasures, including a dagger made from meteorite.

His tomb contained three coffins nestled within one another. Shortly after it was discovered both the inner and middle caskets were transferred to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, while the outer gilded coffin was left behind.

In July, the casket was removed in a tight security operation, and fumigated for seven days.

Restoration will now continue using non-invasive equipment. After mechanical and chemical engineering has taken place, any layers of plaster that have broken away will be replaced in their original location.

Once the work has been completed, the coffin will be on display in the Grand Egyptian Museum - the first time the three caskets have been displayed together since their discovery.

The innermost coffin is made of solid gold, while the middle coffin was made with gilded wood, inlaid with multi-coloured glass.

The large gilded coffin of famous ancient king Tutankhamun was placed inside a plastic incubator for sterilisation in order to be later fully restored for the first time since it was discovered almost a century ago. A range of other artefacts are also being repaired

Once the work has been completed, the coffin will be on display in the Grand Egyptian Museum - the first time his three caskets have been displayed together since their discovery. Other artefacts will also be available

A handout photo from the Facebook page of the Ministry of Antiquities reveals Tutankhamun's outer gilded coffin which has left its tomb for the first time since it was discovered in 1922 to undergo eight months of restoration work (pictured)