All you need to know about life, death & mummy of Egyptian pharaoh King Tutankhamun
King Tut, often referred to as the "boy king," ascended the throne at around 9 or 10 years and ruled for approximately a decade before his death.
Tutankhamun, commonly known today as King Tut, was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh interred in an opulent tomb brimming with gold artifacts in the Valley of the Kings. Discovered in 1922, the tomb was unearthed by an archaeological team headed by British Egyptologist Howard Carter. Despite Carter receiving recognition for the discovery, the bulk of the excavation and groundwork was carried out by Egyptian laborers and workers
Son of a revolutionary
King Tut, originally named Tutankhaten, was born in ancient Egypt around 1341 BC. His father, Akhenaten, was a radical pharaoh who sought to shift Egypt’s polytheistic worship to focus solely on the sun disk, the Aten. In his zeal, Akhenaten mandated the destruction or defacement of other deities’ names and images. He also established a new capital at what is now Tell el-Amarna. Despite implementing these significant changes without inciting widespread violent rebellion, Akhenaten faced condemnation after his death.
The ‘boy king’
King Tut, often referred to as the “boy king,” ascended the throne at around 9 or 10 years and ruled for approximately a decade before his death. His tomb, discovered in 1922, was remarkably intact and filled with treasures, a rare find since most tombs in the Valley of the Kings had been plundered in ancient times. This discovery garnered global attention, making King Tut a widely recognized name. Despite the opulence of his tomb, historical and archaeological evidence suggests that Tutankhamun was frail and spent his brief reign reversing the religious changes initiated by his father, Akhenaten.
Ascending the throne
Tutankhamun ascended the throne in the 14th Century BCand due to his young age, the he relied heavily on advisers. He eventually changed his name from Tutankhaten to Tutankhamun, removing “aten”—a reference to his father’s religious reforms—and replacing it with “amun”. This name belonged to a significant Egyptian god considered by some as the king of the gods. This change highlights King Tut’s shift away from his father’s religious alterations, restoring Egypt’s traditional polytheistic beliefs.
King Tut’s wife
Tutankhamun married his half-sister Queen Ankhesenamun, and the couple’s twin daughters were stillborn; their fetuses were buried in jars in the pharaoh’s tomb. The couple left no heir to the throne. The tomb of Queen Ankhesenamun has not yet been found.
Surviving letters indicate that after Tut’s death, Ankhesenamun tried to remain on the throne, even going so far as to write to Suppiluliuma I, the Hittite king in Anatolia, to send one of his sons to marry her. Suppiluliuma I found this difficult to believe but eventually sent one of his sons, who died during the journey. Ankhesenamun was eventually forced to marry the official Ay, who became pharaoh.
What did Tut look like?
An examination of King Tut’s remains showed that he stood 5 feet, 6 inches tall and suffered from several medical conditions, including malaria and Kohler disease, a rare foot bone disorder. Numerous canes were found in Tutankhamun’s tomb, suggesting he often had trouble walking. He appeared to be in poor health, frequently limping and relying on a cane for support. Despite these health challenges, he might have worn armor, though it is unclear if he ever fought in battles. The leather armor discovered in his tomb showed evidence of use.
The boy king died around 1323 BC at about the age of18. His death was likely unexpected, and his tomb appears to have been hastily finished
How did he die?
The cause of King Tut’s death is a topic of ongoing debate among scholars. Egyptologists have proposed various theories over the years. One research team suggested that his death might have resulted from a combination of malaria and necrosis (tissue death) caused by a broken bone in his left foot.
Despite his health problems, historical and archaeological evidence indicates that Tutankhamun remained active. The broken bone could have been the result of an accident while hunting. It appears he was sufficiently active to sustain such an injury just two days before his death.
Tutankhamun’s tomb
King Tut was laid to rest in a lavish tomb located in the Valley of the Kings, close to present-day Luxor. This valley served as the final resting place for numerous pharaohs who ruled during Egypt’s New Kingdom era (approximately 1550 to 1070 BC). Unlike earlier periods when pharaohs were entombed in pyramids, during this time, they were buried in the Valley of the Kings. This change in burial practice may have been influenced by concerns about tomb robbery and the need for enhanced security.
What’s inside his tomb?
Carter’s expedition located the tomb’s entrance on November 4, 1922, and gained access on November 26 of the same year. Inside, they discovered an abundant array of untouched treasures. Among the remarkable finds were two ebony-black effigies of a king, adorned with gold sandals and holding a staff and mace, emerging dramatically from the shadows. They also unearthed gilded couches of unusual designs, featuring lion-headed, Hathor-headed, and other mystical forms. Among the myriad treasures were a dagger forged from meteoric iron and a golden throne guarded by two outward-projecting lions.
The most iconic treasure in King Tut’s burial chamber is his death mask, made of gold along with inlaid stones and glass. The mummy mask of Tutankhamun is made of two sheets of solid gold inlaid with glass, faience (glazed ceramic), and semiprecious stones and weighs 10.2 kilograms. Resins and oils were poured over this mask, along with the rest of the mummy. As the resins and oils cooled, they darkened and hardened.
What is the curse of his tomb?
Shortly after the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922, George Herbert, the fifth Earl of Carnarvon in England, who funded the excavation, fell ill and passed away. This sparked immediate speculation about a “mummy’s curse” afflicting the earl. The media propagated the notion that opening Tutankhamun’s tomb had unleashed a curse that led to the deaths of those involved in its discovery. However, a 2002 study discredited this belief by examining the lives of 25 individuals who had entered the tomb shortly after its opening. The study found that these individuals lived, on average, to the age of 70 and survived approximately 20 years after entering the tomb, which was not statistically unusual given the life expectancy and ages of the participants at that time.
