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King Tut

, Ruler of Egypt
King Tut
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  • Born: 1341 B.C.
  • Birthplace: Egypt
  • Died: c. 1323 B.C.
  • Best Known As: Ancient Egyptian ruler and famous 20th-century mummy

The 1922 discovery of the tomb of the pharaoh Tutankhamen made "King Tut" an instant celebrity and placed him among the most famous of Egypt's ancient rulers. Tut's tomb was broken into by English archaeologist Howard Carter. One of the best-preserved tombs ever found, it was filled with thousands of artefacts, and the golden death mask which covered his mummy is now a famous relic of the ancient world. Before Carter's discovery, Tutankhamen was practically unknown, and his life still remains something of a mystery; probably he was the 12th ruler in Egypt's 18th Dynasty. Tut most likely was the son of Pharaoh Amenhotep IV (also known as Akhenaten), and was married to his probable half-sister Ankhesenamun, the daughter of Akhneten and the famous Queen Nefertiti. Tut died when he was about 18, having ruled for nine years, and so is often called the Boy King. Tut's death is also something of a mystery. X-rays taken in 1968 indicated he may have been killed by a blow to his head, but 21st-century scientific analysis suggested he may have died after a broken leg led to fatal blood poisoning.

His name is also rendered Tut-Ankh-amun... Comedian Steve Martin had a hit with the novelty tune King Tut, from his 1978 album A Wild and Crazy Guy.

 
 
Biography: Tutankhamen

Tutankhamen (reigned 1361-1352 B.C.), the twelfth King of the Eighteenth Egyptian Dynasty, became the most famous of the Pharaohs when his treasure-filled tomb was discovered in the 20th century.

The parentage of Tutankhamen is unknown. When he became king, he was only a child, for although he reigned 8 full years, examination of his body showed that he was little more than 18 years old at the time of his death.

Tutankhamen acceded to the throne shortly after the death of Ikhnaton. He may have owed his accession to his marriage to Ankhnesamun, the third daughter of Ikhnaton and Nefertiti. Tutankhamen had originally been named Tutankhaten, but both he and Ankhnesamun (originally Ankhnespaten) deleted from their names all reference to the sun disk Aten as soon as they abandoned Amarna, the city built by Ikhnaton for the sole worship of Aten. Tutankhamen apparently left the city very early in his reign, for, with the exception of a few scarabs, no trace of him has been found at Amarna.

The addition to Tutankhamen's name of the epithet "Ruler of Southern On" indicates that he regarded Thebes as his principal city. There can be little doubt that he made every effort to placate the supporters of the god Amun, and a stele erected near the Third Pylon of the temple of Karnak depicts Tutankhamen offering to Amun and Mut. The accompanying text refers to the state of decay into which the temples and shrines of the gods had fallen during the period of the Atenist heresy. Tutankhamen had a large peristyle hall at Luxor decorated with reliefs illustrating the festival of Amen-Re.

Despite the existence of conventional representations of the Pharaoh slaying his foes, it is doubtful that Tutankhamen engaged in any serious military operations. There is some indication that the actual power behind the throne was an elderly official named Ay, who is depicted on a fragment of gold leaf with Tutankhamen. On another fragment Ay bears the title of vizier. He had already posed as a coregent before the death of Tutankhamen; and as regent Ay is represented undertaking his obsequies on the walls of the young pharaoh's burial chamber.

Tutankhamen is probably the best-known of the pharaohs owing to the fortunate discovery of his treasure-filled tomb virtually intact. His burial place in the Valley of the Kings had escaped the fate of the tombs of his predecessors. The entrance was hidden from plunderers by debris heaped over it during the cutting of the later tomb of Ramses VI.

Further Reading

Penelope Fox, Tutankhamen's Treasure (1951), contains a biographical study of the Pharaoh and a description of his time. Genevieve R. Tabouis, The Private Life of Tutankhamen: Love, Religion, and Politics at the Court of an Egyptian King (trans. 1929), is a historical re-creation of the man and his times. An account of Tutankhamen's tomb and its contents is given by its discoverer and excavator, Howard Carter, and coauthor A. C. Mace, The Tomb of Tut-ankh-amen (3 vols., 1923-1933); it is available in an abridged edition entitled Tomb of Tut-Ankh-Amen, edited by Shirley Glubok (1968). The historical background is discussed in Cyril Aldred, Akhenaten: Pharaoh of Egypt (1968).

 

Tutankhamen, gold funerary mask found in the king's tomb, 14th century ; in the Egyptian …
(click to enlarge)
Tutankhamen, gold funerary mask found in the king's tomb, 14th century ; in the Egyptian … (credit: © Lee Boltin)
(flourished 14th century BC) Egyptian pharaoh (r. 1333 – 23 BC) of the 18th dynasty. When he took the throne at about age eight, he was advised to move back to Memphis from Akhetaton, the city of his father-in-law and predecessor, Akhenaton. During his reign the traditional religion was restored after the changes made by Akhenaton. Shortly before he died, while still in his teens, he sent troops to Syria to aid an ally against a group connected with the Hittites. Because his name was among those stricken from the royal lists during the 19th dynasty, his tomb's location was forgotten and his burial chamber was not opened until 1922, when it was discovered by Howard Carter (1873 – 1939). Its treasures made Tutankhamen perhaps the best-known of the pharaohs despite his early death and limited accomplishments.

For more information on Tutankhamen, visit Britannica.com.

 

[Na]

One of the last pharaohs of the 18th Dynasty, probably the son of Amenophis IV, he was born around 1345 bc. In 1333 bc he became pharaoh at a young age, but reigned for only nine years until his death in 1323 bc. During this time the capital was returned to Thebes, Egypt and the worship of Amen was re-established. Tutankhamen is well known because his tomb in the Valley of the Kings (KV 62) remained intact until it was discovered by Carter, Howard in 1922 and entered by Carter and Lord Carnarvon on 4 November that year. Although probably poorer than many of the great long-reigning pharaohs, the tomb nonetheless contained a remarkable treasure (now in the Cairo Museum) and provided much detailed information about the ritual of royal burial.

 
or Tutenkhamon (tūt'ängkä'mən, –ĕngk–) , fl. c.1350 B.C., king of ancient Egypt, of the XVIII dynasty. He was the son-in-law of Ikhnaton and succeeded to the throne after a brief reign by Ikhnaton's successor. Under Ikhnaton the god Amon had been replaced by Aton, and the reaction in favor of Aton ended under Tutankhamen; thus, the king who had been known as Tutankhaton, changed his name. He also abandoned Ikhnaton's new capital, Akhetaton (Tell el Amarna), to return to Thebes, sacred to Amon; he restored the name of Amon, deleted from the monuments by Ikhnaton. The chief officer of state, Horemheb, controlled affairs, successfully stemming the tide of dissolution that had threatened to engulf the kingdom under Ikhnaton. The tomb of Tutankhamen was found (1922) almost intact by Howard Carter and the earl of Carnarvon in the Valley of the Kings near Luxor. Its great wealth of objects afforded a new store of knowledge on Egyptian sculpture and life of the XVIII dynasty. The contents of the tomb, including the mummy and the gold sarcophagus, are now in Cairo.

Bibliography

See studies by H. Carter and A. C. Mace (3 vol., 1923–33; abr. ed. 1972); C. Desroches-Noblecourt (tr., abr. ed. 1965); M. Carter (1972); B. Wynne (1973); E. L. Jones (1978); B. Brier, The Murder of Tutankhamen (1998).

 
History Dictionary: Tutankhamen
(tooht-ahng-kah-muhn)

A pharaoh, or king of Egypt, who lived about 1400 b.c. His reign was relatively unimportant, but the discovery of his unplundered tomb in the 1920s is numbered among the great archaeological discoveries of all time.

  • Tutankhamen is popularly known as King Tut.

  •  
    Word Tutor: Tutankhamen
    pronunciation

    IN BRIEF: n. - Pharaoh of Egypt around 1358 BC.

     
    Wikipedia: Tutankhamun


    Tutankhamun
    Tutankhaten, Tutankhamon,[1] possibly Nibhurrereya (as referenced in the Amarna letters)
    Preceded by:
    Smenkhkare? or
    Neferneferuaten?
    Pharaoh of Egypt
    18th Dynasty
    Succeeded by:
    Ay
    Mask of Tutankhamun's mummy, the popular icon for ancient Egypt at The Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
    Enlarge
    Mask of Tutankhamun's mummy, the popular icon for ancient Egypt at The Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
    Reign 1333 BC – 1324 BC
    Praenomen
    <
    N5 L1 Z2
    nb
    >

    Nebkheperure
    Lord of the forms of Re
    Nomen
    <
    i t
    n
    N5
    t G43 t S34
    >

    Tutankhaten
    Living Image of the Aten
    <
    i mn
    n
    t G43 t S34
    >

    Tutankhamun Hekaiunushema
    Living Image of Amun,
    ruler of Upper Heliopolis
    Horus
    name
    G5
    E1
    D40
    t G43 t F31 s t G43 Z3
    Image:srxtail2.GIF
    Kanakht Tutmesut
    The strong bull, pleasing of birth
    Nebty
    name
    nfr O4
    p
    G43 M40 Z3 s W11
    r
    V28 D36
    N17
    N17
    N21
    N21

    Neferhepusegerehtawy
    One of perfect laws,
    who pacifies the two lands[2]
    wr aH pr Z1 i mn
    n

    Wer-Ah-Amun
    Great of the palace of Amun
    nb
    r
    Dr
    r
    A41

    Neb-r-Djer
    Lord of all
    Golden
    Horus
    U39 N28
    Z2
    O34 R4
    t p
    R8A

    Wetjeskhausehetepnetjeru
    Who wears crowns and pleases the gods
    HqA q
    Y1
    mAat s Htp
    t p
    R8A

    Heqa-maat-sehetep-netjeru
    Ruler of Truth, who pleases the gods
    w T
    z
    U39 xa
    Z2
    i t
    f
    A41
    f
    C2

    Wetjes-khau-itef-Re
    Who wears the crowns of his father, Re


    U39 xa
    Z2
    Tz
    z
    tA
    tA
    m

    Wetjes-khau-Tjestawy-Im
    Who wears crowns, and binds the two lands therein
    Consort(s) Ankhesenamen
    Burial KV62
    Tutankhamen receives flowers from Ankhesenamen
    Enlarge
    Tutankhamen receives flowers from Ankhesenamen

    Nebkheperure Tutankhamun (alternately spelled with Tutenkh-, -amen, -amon), Egyptian twt-ˁnḫ-ı͗mn; *tuwt-ʕankh-yamān, was a Pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty (ruled 1333 BC – 1324 BC in the conventional chronology), during the period of Egyptian history known as the New Kingdom. His original name, Tutankhaten, meant "Living Image of Aten", while Tutankhamun meant "Living Image of Amun". He is possibly also the Nibhurrereya of the Amarna letters. He was likely the eighteenth dynasty king 'Rathotis', who according to Manetho, an ancient historian, had reigned for nine years—a figure which conforms exactly with Flavius Josephus' generally accurate version of Manetho's Epitome.[3]

    Significance

    In historical terms, Tutankhamun is of only moderate significance, and most of his modern popularity stems from the fact that his tomb in the Valley of the Kings was discovered almost completely intact. However, he also is significant as a figure among those who managed the beginning of the transition from the heretical Atenism of his predecessors Akhenaten and perhaps Smenkhkare back to the familiar Egyptian religion. As Tutankhamun began his reign at age nine, his vizier and eventual successor Ay was probably making most of the important political decisions during Tutankhamun's reign. Nonetheless, Tutankhamun is, in modern times, one of the most famous of the pharaohs, and the only one to have a nickname in popular culture ("King Tut"). The 1922 discovery by Howard Carter of Tutankhamun's nearly intact tomb (subsequently designated KV62) received worldwide press coverage and sparked a renewed public interest in ancient Egypt, for which Tutankhamun remains the popular face.

    Parentage

    Tutankhamun's parentage is uncertain. An inscription calls him a king's son, but it is not clear which king was meant. Most scholars think that he was probably a son either of Amenhotep III (although probably not by his Great Royal Wife Tiye), or more likely a son of Amenhotep III's son Akhenaten around 1342 BC. However, Professor James Allen argues that Tutankhamun was more likely to be a son of the short-lived king Smenkhkare rather than Akhenaten. Allen argues that Akhenaten consciously chose a female co-regent named Neferneferuaten as his successor rather than Tutankhamun which would have been unlikely if the latter had been his son.[4] Tutankhamun was married to Ankhesenpaaten (possibly his sister), and after the re-establishment of the traditional Egyptian religion the couple changed the –aten ending of their names to the –amun ending, becoming Ankhesenamun and Tutankhamun. They are known to have had two children, both stillborn girls—whose mummies were discovered in his tomb. The "boy king" died at the age of nineteen by reasons still disputed. Some believe that he was murdered by his advisors, but it is also possible that he died from injuries suffered in an accident or while at war. He was buried in the Valley of the Kings, in a small tomb today known as KV62, that was not intended for a king.

    The first theory was that he was a son of Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye. This theory seems unlikely since Tiye would have been more than fifty years old at the time of Tutankhamun's birth. Another theory is that Tutankhamun was the son of Smenkhkare and Meritaten. This is possible, but not plausible. Smenkhkare came on the scene when Akhenaten entered year 14 of his reign and it is thought that during this time Meritaten married Smenkhkare. So, if Smenkhkare is the father of Tutankhamun, he would have needed at least a three year reign, because if it had been shorter, Tutankhamun would have been barely seven when he came to the throne. However, if there had been lengthy co-regency between Amenhotep III and Akhenaten, Amenhotep definitely could be Tutankhamun's father.

    The current theory is that he was the son of Akhenaten and his minor wife Kiya. Queen Kiya's title was "Greatly Beloved Wife of Akhenaten" so it is possible that she could have borne him an heir. Supporting this theory, images on the tomb wall in the tomb of Akhenaten show that a royal fan bearer standing next to Kiya's death bed, fanning what is either a princess or more likely a wet nurse holding a baby, which would indicate that the wet nurse was holding the boy-king-to-be.

    Reign

    cartouches of his birth and throne names are displayed between rampant Sekhmet lioness warrior images (perhaps with his head) crushing enemies from several ethnicites, while Nekhbet flies protectively above
    Enlarge
    cartouches of his birth and throne names are displayed between rampant Sekhmet lioness warrior images (perhaps with his head) crushing enemies from several ethnicites, while Nekhbet flies protectively above

    During Tutankhamun's reign, Akhenaten's Amarna revolution (Atenism) was being reversed. Akhenaten had attempted to supplant the traditional priesthood and deities with a god who was until then considered minor, Aten. In Year 3 of Tutankhamun's reign (1331 BC), when he was still a boy of about eleven and probably under the influence of two older advisors (Akhenaten's vizier Ay and perhaps Nefertiti), the ban on the old pantheon of deities and their temples was lifted, the traditional privileges were restored to their priesthoods, and the capital was moved back to Thebes. The young pharaoh adopted the name Tutankhamun, changing it from his birth name Tutankhaten. Because of his age at the time these decisions were made, it is generally thought that most if not all the responsibility for them falls on his advisors. Also, King Tutankhamun restored all of the traditional deities and restored order to the chaos that his relative had caused. Many temples devoted to Amun-Ra were built. Tutankhamun's wooden box depicts him going to war against Hittites and Nubians suggesting that he may have gone to war in the last few years of his reign, and perhaps even died from injuries suffered in the campaign.

    Events after his death

    A now-famous letter to the Hittite king Suppiluliuma I from a widowed queen of Egypt, asking for one of his sons as a husband, has been attributed to Ankhesenamun (among others). The royal lineage of Egypt was carried by its women. Marriage to a woman of the royal line was essential for a male pharaoh, even if he came from outside the lineage. Suspicious of this good fortune, Suppiluliumas I first sent a messenger to make inquiries about the truth of the young queen's story. After receiving reports that the situation was as related to Suppiluliuma I, he sent his son, Zannanza, accepting her offer. However, Zannanza got no further than the border before he was killed, according to the Hittite archives. If Ankhesenamun were the queen in question, and his death a strategic murder, it was probably at the orders of either Horemheb or Ay, who both had the opportunity and the motive to kill him.

    Name

    Tutankhamun's nomen (left) or birth name and praenomen or throne name.
    Enlarge
    Tutankhamun's nomen (left) or birth name and praenomen or throne name.

    Under Atenism, Tutankhamun was named Tutankhaten, which in Egyptian hieroglyphs is:

    <
    i t
    n
    ra
    t
    w
    t
    anx
    >

    Technically, this name is transliterated as twt-ˁnḫ-ỉtn.

    At the reintroduction of the old pantheon, his name was changed. It is transliterated as twt-ˁnḫ-ỉmn ḥq3-ỉwnw-šmˁ, and often realized as Tutankhamun Hekaiunushema, meaning "Living image of Amun, ruler of Upper Heliopolis". On his ascension to the throne, Tutankhamun took a praenomen. This is translated as nb-ḫprw-rˁ, and realized as Nebkheperure, meaning "Lord of the forms of Re". The name Nibhurrereya in the Amarna letters may be a variation of this praenomen.

    Tut_hieroglyphic_meanings.GIF

    Cause of death

    The golden mask of the "boy king"
    Enlarge
    The golden mask of the "boy king"

    For a long time the cause of Tutankhamun's death was unknown, and it is still the root of much speculation. How old was the king when he died? Did he suffer from any physical abnormalities? Had he been murdered? Some of these questions were finally answered in early 2005 when the results of a set of CT scans on the mummy were released, but many still remain to be solved.

    The body originally was inspected by Howard Carter’s team in the early 1920s, although they were primarily interested in recovering the jewellery and amulets from the body. To remove these objects from the body, which often were stuck fast by the hardened embalming resins used, Carter's team cut up the mummy into various pieces: the arms and legs were detached, the torso cut in half and the head was severed. Hot knives were used to remove it from the golden mask to which it was cemented by resin.

    Since the body was placed back in its sarcophagus in 1926, the mummy has subsequently been X-rayed three times: first in 1968 by a group from the University of Liverpool, then in 1978 by a group from the University of Michigan, and finally in 2005 a team of Egyptian scientists led by Secretary General of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, Dr. Zahi Hawass, who conducted a CT scan on the mummy.

    X-rays of his mummy, which were taken previously, in 1968, had revealed a dense spot at the lower back of the skull. This had been interpreted as a subdural hematoma, which would have been caused by a blow. Such an injury could have been the result of an accident, but it also had been suggested that the young pharaoh was murdered. If this were the case, there are a number of theories as to who was responsible. One popular candidate was his immediate successor Ay and other candidates included his wife and chariot-driver. Interestingly, there seem to be signs of calcification within the supposed injury, which if true, meant Tutankhamun lived for a fairly extensive period of time (on the order of several months) after the injury was inflicted.[5]

    Much confusion had been caused by a small loose sliver of bone within the upper cranial cavity, which was discovered from the same X-ray analysis. Some people have suggested this visible bone fragment for the supposed head injury. In fact, since Tutankhamun's brain was removed post mortem in the mummification process, and considerable quantities of now-hardened resin introduced into the skull on at least two separate occasions after that, had the fragment resulted from an injury while he was alive, some scholars, including the 2005 CT scan team, say it almost certainly would not still be loose in the cranial cavity. But other scientists suggested, that the loose sliver of bone was loosened by the embalmers during mummification, but that it had been broken before. A blow to the back of the head (from a fall or an actual blow), is said to have caused the brain to move forward, hitting the front of the skull, breaking small pieces of the bone right above the eyes.[6]

    Discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb

    Main article: KV62
    Tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings
    Enlarge
    Tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings

    Tutankhamun seems to have faded from public consciousness in Ancient Egypt within a short time after his death, and he remained virtually unknown until the early twentieth century. His tomb was robbed at least twice in antiquity, but based on the items taken (including perishable oils and perfumes) and the evidence of restoration of the tomb after the intrusions, it seems clear that these robberies took place within several months at most of the initial burial. Subsequently, the location of the tomb was lost because it had come to be buried by stone chips from subsequent tombs, either dumped there or washed there by floods. In the years that followed, some huts for workers were built over the tomb entrance, clearly not knowing what lay beneath. When at the end of the twentieth dynasty the Valley of the Kings burials were systematically dismantled, the burial of Tutankhamun was overlooked, presumably because knowledge of it had been lost and even his name may have been forgotten.

    For many years, rumors of a "Curse of the Pharaohs" (probably fueled by newspapers seeking sales at the time of the discovery) persisted, emphasizing the early death of some of those who had first entered the tomb. However, a recent study of journals and death records indicates no statistical difference between the age of death of those who entered the tomb and those on the expedition who did not. Indeed, most lived past seventy.

    Senet board game
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    Senet board game

    Ancient Egyptian senet games similar to the one displayed at the right, were found in the tomb.[7]

    Some of the treasures in Tutankhamun's tomb are noted for their apparent departure from traditional depictions of the boy king. Certain cartouches where a king's name should appear have been altered, as if to reuse the property of a previous pharaoh—as often occurred. However, this instance may simply be the product of "updating" the artifacts to reflect the shift from Tutankhaten to Tutankhamun. Other differences are less easy to explain, such as the older, more angular facial features of the middle coffin and canopic coffinettes. The most widely accepted theory for these latter variations is that the items were originally intended for Smenkhkare, who may or may not be the mysterious KV55 mummy. Said mummy, according to craniological examinations, bears a striking first-order (father-to-son, brother-to-brother) relationship to Tutankhamun.[8]

    Tutankhamun in popular culture

    If Tutankhamun is the world's best known pharaoh, it is partly because his tomb is among the best preserved, and his image and associated artifacts the most-exhibited. He also has entered popular culture—he has, for example, been commemorated in the whimsical song "King Tut" by the American comedian Steve Martin. He was also the namesake of one of Batman's arch enemies in the 1960s American television series "Batman" with Adam West.

    In 1939, The Three Stooges spoofed the discovery of King Tutankhamun with their short film We Want Our Mummy.
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    In 1939, The Three Stooges spoofed the discovery of King Tutankhamun with their short film We Want Our Mummy.

    In 1939, slapstick comedy trio the Three Stooges filmed We Want Our Mummy, in which they explored the tomb of the midget King Rutentuten (and his Queen, Hotsy Totsy). A decade later, they were crooked used chariot salesmen in Mummy's Dummies, in which they ultimately assist a different King Rootentootin (Vernon Dent) with a toothache.

    As a side effect, the interest in this tomb and its alleged "curse" led to horror movies featuring a vengeful mummy. As Jon Manchip White writes, in his forward to the 1977 edition of Carter's The Discovery of the Tomb of Tutankhamun, "The pharaoh who in life was one of the least esteemed of Egypt's kings has become in death the most renowned."

    Tutankhamun's appearance and controversy

    A rendering of Tutankhamun on the cover of National Geographic in 2005 - considered controversial by some because it exhibits hazel eyes and a mid-range of skin tones
    Enlarge
    A rendering of Tutankhamun on the cover of National Geographic in 2005 - considered controversial by some because it exhibits hazel eyes and a mid-range of skin tones


    See also: Racial characteristics of ancient Egyptians

    In 2005, three teams of scientists (Egyptian, French, and American), in partnership with the National Geographic Society, developed a new facial likeness of Tutankhamun. The Egyptian team worked from 1,700 three-dimensional CT scans of the pharaoh's skull. The French and American teams worked plastic moulds created from these—but the Americans were never told who the subject of the reconstruction was.[9] All three teams created silicone busts of their interpretation of what the young monarch looked like.

    Skin tone

    Although modern technology can reconstruct Tutankhamun's facial structure with a high degree of accuracy based on CT data from his mummy,[10] correctly determining his skin tone is impossible. The problem is not a lack of skill on the part of Ancient Egyptians. Egyptian artisans distinguished quite accurately among different ethnicities, as can be seen clearly in the image, above at "Reign", where the enemies being vanquished are displayed under the rampant lioness with Tutankhamun's head. Sometimes they depicted their subjects in totally unreal colors, the purposes for which aren't completely understood. The colours may have had ritual significance. Thus no absolute consensus on King Tut's skin tone is possible.

    Terry Garcia, National Geographic's executive vice president for mission programs, said, in response to some protesters of the King Tut reconstruction—

    The big variable is skin tone. North Africans, we know today, had a range of skin tones, from light to dark. In this case, we selected a medium skin tone, and we say, quite up front, 'This is midrange.' We will never know for sure what his exact skin tone was or the colour of his eyes with 100% certainty. … Maybe in the future, people will come to a different conclusion.[11]

    2005 research and findings

    Tutankhamun coffinette
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    Tutankhamun coffinette

    On March 8, 2005, Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass revealed the results of a CT scan performed on the pharaoh's mummy. The scan uncovered no evidence of a blow to the back of the head and no evidence suggesting foul play. There was a hole in the head, but it appeared to have been drilled, presumably by embalmers. A fracture to Tutankhamun's left thighbone was interpreted as evidence that the pharaoh badly broke his leg before he died and his leg became severely infected; however, members of the Egyptian-led research team recognized, as a less likely possibility, that the fracture was caused by the embalmers. Altogether 1,700 images were produced of Tutankhamun's mummy during the 15-minute CT scan.

    Much was learned about the young king's life. His age at death was estimated at nineteen years, based on physical developments that set upper and lower limits to his age. The king had been in general good health and there were no signs of any major infectious disease or malnutrition during his childhood. He was slight of build, and was roughly 170 cm (5 ft 7 in) tall. He had large front incisor teeth and the overbite characteristic of the Thutmosid royal line to which he belonged. He also had a pronounced dolichocephalic (elongated) skull, although it was within normal bounds and highly unlikely to have been pathological. Given the fact that many of the royal depictions of Akhenaten (possibly his father, certainly a relative), often is featured with such an elongated head, it is likely an exaggeration of a family trait, rather than a distinct abnormality. The research also showed that the pharaoh had cleft palate.[12] A slight bend to his spine also was found, but the scientists agreed that there was no associated evidence to suggest that it was pathological in nature, and that it was much more likely to have been caused during the embalming process. This ended speculation based on the previous X-rays that Tutankhamun had suffered from scoliosis. (However, it was subsequently noted by Dr. Zahi Hawass that the mummy found in KV55, provisionally identified as Tutankhamun's father, exhibited several similarities to that of Tutankhamun—a cleft palate, a dolichocephalic skull and slight scoliosis.)[13]

    Painting of Tutankhamun at war, perhaps the injury that led to his death resulted from a crash of such a chariot
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    Painting of Tutankhamun at war, perhaps the injury that led to his death resulted from a crash of such a chariot

    The 2005 conclusion by a team of Egyptian scientists, based on the CT scan findings, confirmed that Tutankhamun died of gangrene after breaking his leg. After consultations with Italian and Swiss experts, the Egyptian scientists found that the fracture in Tutankhamun's left leg most likely occurred only days before his death, which had then become gangrenous and led directly to his death. The fracture was not sustained during the mummification process or as a result of some damage to the mummy as claimed by Howard Carter. The Egyptian scientists also have found no evidence that he had been struck on the head and no other indication that he was murdered, as had been speculated previously. Further investigation of the fracture led to the conclusion that it was severe, most likely caused by a fall from some height—possibly a chariot riding accident due to the absence of pelvis injuries—and may have been fatal within hours[1].

    Despite the relatively poor condition of the mummy, the Egyptian team found evidence that great care had been given to the body of Tutankhamun during the embalming process. They found five distinct embalming materials, which were applied to the body at various stages of the mummification process. This counters previous assertions that the king’s body had been prepared carelessly and in a hurry. In November 2006, at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, Egyptian radiologists stated that that CT images and scans of the king's mummy revealed Tutankhamun's height to be 180 centimetres or 5 feet 11 inches tall, a revision upward from the earlier estimates.[2]

    Gallery depicting close relations to Tutankhamun

    It is important to note that the first reconstruction by the English, Australian, and American scientists depicted North African phenotypes, which were common during that time.

    • Currently on display in the UK at the Science Museum:

    First Reconstruction

    • Reconstruction of Tutankhamun's step-mother Nefertiti:

    Nefertiti

    Exhibitions

    The splendors of Tutankhamun's tomb are among the most traveled artifacts in the world. They have been to many countries, but probably the best-known exhibition tour was the Treasures of Tutankhamun tour, which ran from 1972-1979. This exhibition was first shown in London at the British Museum from 30 March until 30 September 1972. More than 1.6 million visitors came to see the exhibition, some queueing for up to eight hours and it was the most popular exhibition ever in the Museum. The exhibition moved on to many other countries, including the USA, USSR, Japan, France, Canada, and West Germany. The exhibition in the United States was organized by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and ran from from 17 November, 1976 through 15 April, 1979. It was attended by more than eight million people in the United States.

    An excerpt from the site of the American National Gallery of Art:

    "...55 objects from the tomb of Tutankhamun included the boy-king's solid gold funeral mask, a gilded wood figure of the goddess Selket, lamps, jars, jewelry, furniture, and other objects for the afterlife. This exhibition established the term 'blockbuster.' A combination of the age-old fascination with ancient Egypt, the legendary allure of gold and precious stones, and the funeral trappings of the boy-king created an immense popular response. Visitors waited up to 8 hours before the building opened to view the exhibition. At times the line completely encircled the West Building."[1]

    In 2005, hoping to inspire a whole new generation of museum visitors, Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, in partnership with Arts and Exhibitions International and the National Geographic Society, launched a new tour of Tutankhamun's treasures, this time called "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs." It was expected to draw more than three million people.[2]

    The exhibition started in Los Angeles, California, then moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Chicago. The fourth location is Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the fifth will be London[3] before finally returning to Egypt in August 2008.

    Some attendees of the current exhibition have been disappointed in the show, and have accused the exhibitors of using false or misleading advertising regarding its contents. The exhibition is marketed around Tutankhamun, but more than half of the artifacts are from the reigns of Tutankhamun's immediate predecessors in the eighteenth dynasty, such as Hatshepsut, whose trade policies greatly increased the wealth of that dynasty and enabled the lavish wealth of Tutankhamun's burial artifacts.

    Also, the advertising for the exhibition features an image in gold of the face of Tutankhamun, strongly reminiscent of his famous death mask, which is not among the objects in the exhibit. In reality, the image is a close-up photograph of a 40 cm (16") canopic vessel that held the king's liver. The item is labeled in most of the advertising as a "canopic coffinette" or "miniature coffin", but attendees have complained about feeling misled.[4][5][6]

    In fiction

    Tutankhamun/Tutankhaten appears in P. C. Doherty's trilogy of Ancient Egyptian novels, An Evil Spirit Out of the West (2003), The Season of the Hyaena (2005) and The Year of the Cobra (2005).

    Tutankhamun is also the major character in a series of historical novels by the American author Lynda Robinson.

    The historical novel Tutankhamun-Speak my Name (2005) ISBN 1-41206325-6 by Anthony Holmes is the comprehensive (678 page) story of the life of the young king from his birth to Kiye, the concubine of Akhenaten, until his death 6,666 days later and beyond into the afterlife of his KA in the tomb eventually discovered by Howard Carter.

    Tutankhamun appears as a 10-year-old mummy in the Discovery Kids show Tutenstein.

    King Tut, as played by Victor Buono, was a villain on the Batman TV series aired in 1966-1968. Mild-mannered Egyptologist William Omaha McElroy, after suffering a concussion, came to believe he was the reincarnation of Tutankhamun. His response to this knowledge was to embark upon a crime spree that required him to fight against the "Caped Crusaders", Batman and Robin.

    2007 discoveries in Tutankhamun's tomb

    On September 24, 2007, it was announced that a team of Egyptian archaeologists led by Zahi Hawass, discovered eight baskets of 3,000 year old doum fruit in the treasury of Tutankhamun's tomb.[7] Doum comes from a type of palm tree native to the Nile Valley. The doum fruit are traditionally offered at funerals.

    Twenty clay pots bearing Tutankhamun's official seal were also discovered. According to Dr Hawass, the containers probably contain provisions that were destined to travel with the pharaoh to the afterlife. He said the containers will be opened soon. The objects discovered in the tomb were originally discovered, but not opened or removed from the tomb, by Howard Carter.[8]

    See also

    Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

    References

    Further reading

    • Howard Carter, Arthur C. Mace, The Discovery of the Tomb of Tutankhamen. Courier Dover Publications, June 1, 1977, ISBN 0-486-23500-9 The semi-popular account of the discover and opening of the tomb written by the archaeologist responsible
    • C. Nicholas Reeves, The Complete Tutankhamun: The King, the Tomb, the Royal Treasure. London: Thames & Hudson, November 1, 1990, ISBN 0-500-05058-9 (hardcover)/ISBN 0-500-27810-5 (paperback) Fully covers the complete contents of his tomb
    • T. G. H. James, Tutankhamun. New York: Friedman/Fairfax, September 1, 2000, ISBN 1-58663-032-6 (hardcover) A large-format volume by the former Keeper of Egyptian Antiquities at the British Museum, filled with colour illustrations of the funerary furnishings of Tutankhamun, and related objects
    • Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt, Sarwat Okasha (Preface), Tutankhamen: Life and Death of a Pharaoh. New York: New York Graphic Society, 1963, ISBN 0-8212-0151-4 (1976 reprint, hardcover) /ISBN 0-14-011665-6 (1990 reprint, paperback)
    • Thomas Hoving, The search for Tutankhamun: The untold story of adventure and intrigue surrounding the greatest modern archeological find. New York: Simon & Schuster, October 15, 1978, ISBN 0-671-24305-5 (hardcover)/I