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Tutankhamum

© Copyright 2001, Jim Loy

Tutankhamun (his funerary mask is on the left, and his name is on the right) is among the most famous of Egyptian kings. But he appears on no ancient king list, and was almost completely unknown before his tomb (called KV62) was discovered in 1922, by Howard Carter. The tomb is tiny, probably meant for someone else. Tutankhamum died at about the age of 17 (see my book review of The Murder Of Tutankhamen - by Bob Brier), and a tomb was needed in a hurry. Tutankhamon is famous because of the richness of his tomb. Although it had been robbed twice in ancient times, it still retained most of its treasures, which now are in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

Tutankhamun (originally named Tutankhaton), also named Nebkheperura, ruled from about 1334-1325 B.C.E. He was probably a son of Akhenaton. His wife was Ankhesenamun (originally Ankhesenpaaten). Two other important people in his reign were his vizier Ay, and his general Horemheb, both of whom reigned as king after him. Under Tutankhamun, Egypt returned to the old religions which Akhenaton had abolished. Thebes again became the capital city.

When Horemheb became king, he had the names of Akhenaton, Tutankhamun, and Ay chiseled from monuments. So Tutankhamun was unknown to later Egyptians. Only a few references to him were found on buildings and small objects, before his tomb was discovered. His tomb still contains his stone sarcophagus which still contains the body of Tutankhamun.

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