Uncover the Secrets of Tutankhamun

Tutankhamun: The Life and Reign of an Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh

Tutankhamun was the antepenultimate pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty of ancient Egypt, who ascended to the throne at the age of nine and reigned until his death at the age of nineteen.
Tutankhamun reversed the societal changes enacted by his predecessor, Akhenaten, during the Amarna Period, and restored the traditional polytheistic form of ancient Egyptian religion.
Tutankhamun was worshipped as a deity during his lifetime, a rare occurrence for most pharaohs who were worshipped posthumously.
Tutankhamun's tomb, KV62, discovered in 1922, is the only such tomb to date to have been found in near-intact condition, and his vast wealth has made him a popular symbol of ancient Egyptian opulence.
Tutankhamun's parentage remains debated, but DNA testing has identified his father as the mummy within tomb KV55, thought to be the pharaoh Akhenaten.
Tutankhamun's health and early death are heavily debated, but recent studies suggest he may have had bone necrosis, a possible clubfoot, scoliosis, and contracted several strains of malaria, and died of complications from a broken leg compounded by malaria.
Tutankhamun enriched and endowed the priestly orders of two important cults, initiated a restoration process for old monuments that were damaged during the Amarna Period, and reburied his father's remains in the Valley of the Kings.
Tutankhamun married his half-sister, Ankhesenamun, and had two daughters who died in infancy, and recent genetic analysis has confirmed his parentage and familial relationships.
Tutankhamun's reign saw the position of Vizier split between Upper and Lower Egypt, and he was one of the few kings worshipped in this manner during his lifetime.
Tutankhamun's original nomen, Tutankhaten, did not have a Nebty name or a Gold Falcon name associated with it, and its translation is debated among Egyptologists.
Tutankhamun's reign saw a reconciliation of Atenism with traditional religion, and his Restoration Stela characterizes the Amarna Period as a time of disaster, proclaiming the rebuilding of the traditional cults and restoration of temple staffs.
Tutankhamun's death marked the end of the royal line of the 18th Dynasty, and his tomb and vast wealth have made him a popular figure in popular culture and a symbol of ancient Egyptian opulence.Tutankhamun: Life, Reign, Health, Death, Genealogy, Tomb, and Rediscovery
Tutankhamun restored the worship of Amun and moved the capital back to Thebes.
He sought to improve diplomatic relations and received gifts from various countries.
Tutankhamun was trained in archery and had advisers, including Ay and Horemheb.
He initiated building projects and commissioned new statues and processional barques.
Many of Tutankhamun's projects were incomplete and were finished by his successors.
He was slight of build, had large front incisors and an overbite, and likely had gynecomastia.
Tutankhamun had a partially cleft hard palate, scoliosis, and foot conditions.
Genetic testing revealed he had malaria and the haplogroups YDNA R1b and mtDNA K.
The cause of his death is debated, but it may have been a combination of weakening disorders, a leg fracture, and severe malaria.
His tomb was unusually small and was likely intended for someone else.
The tomb was robbed twice in antiquity, but the location was lost and rediscovered by Howard Carter in 1922.
The tomb survived due to being buried by debris and ancient workmen's huts.The Legacy of Tutankhamun: Discoveries, Exhibitions, and Controversies
Howard Carter allegedly stole objects from Tutankhamun's tomb before its official opening.
The tomb contained 5,398 items, including a solid gold coffin, face mask, and various other artifacts.
Recent analysis suggests a dagger from the tomb had an iron blade made from a meteorite, providing insights into metalworking technologies of the time.
Tutankhamun's burial goods show signs of being adapted for his use after being originally made for earlier owners.
Tutankhamun's mummy was placed on display in his underground tomb in Luxor in 2007, 85 years after its discovery.
The tomb was closed for restoration in 2009 and re-opened in 2019 after being set back by the Egyptian revolution of 2011.
Rumors of a "curse of the pharaohs" persisted, but only eight out of 58 people present when the tomb was opened died within a dozen years.
Tutankhamun's fame is primarily due to his well-preserved tomb and the global exhibitions of his associated artifacts.
Tutankhamun's artifacts have traveled the world with unprecedented visitorship, starting with an exhibit in Paris in 1962.
The most popular exhibition, The Treasures of Tutankhamun, toured from 1972 to 1979, drawing over eight million visitors.
In 2005, Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs tour launched, featuring exhibits from Tutankhamun's predecessors and drawing almost four million visitors in its first four tour stops.
The largest collection of Tutankhamun artifacts, amounting to forty percent of the entire collection, toured internationally from 2019 to 2022, with the exhibit called "King Tut: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh."