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The discovery of King Tutankhamun's tomb in Egypt is often regarded as one of the most notable archeological finds of recent history, and is certainly one of the most famous ones. Before its discovery however, King Tutankhamun was not a particularly well-known Pharaoh.
What factors lead to this particular archeological find becoming one of the most famous in history?
The significance of Tutankhamun's tomb is simply that it's the only Ancient Egyptian royal tomb ever found that had not been stripped by looters. It seems to have been raided twice, fairly soon after the burial, but was re-sealed each time. It escaped further looting because the entrance was lost under subsequent building work.
The quantity and magnificence of the items found in the tomb, buried with a short-lived Pharaoh, implies that the tombs of more significant rulers of Egypt were extraordinarily spectacular in their original state. That has captured the popular imagination. The tomb was also found at the beginning of modern archaeology, and the contents were removed and recorded systematically. That has made it an important window into the past, valuable for testing theories about ancient Egypt.
Well, I am not so sure that I agree with your statement, "Before its discovery however, King Tutankhamun was not a particularly well known Pharaoh". Tutankhamun's Father, Akhenaton, was a "very well known Pharaoh" and his Mother, Queen Nefertiti, was also "very well known".
As for "King Tut" himself, he did not live very long and was more of a political figurehead than an actual Pharaonic Head of State. However, despite his likely ceremonial/figurehead role, he was certainly a well known Pharaoh to the Egyptians and in all likelihood, to the neighboring Nubians as well.
