TUTANKHAMUN'S NAME The name "Tutankhamun" is derived from

the hieroglyphs which translate as Tut-ankh-amun meaning the "Living Image of Amun." Today, many people refer to him as Tut.

When Tut was born, he was given the name Tutankhaten meaning the "Living Image of the Aten" - the Aten was the single god worshipped during the rule Akhenaten, the heretic king who is believed to have been the father of Tutankhamun.

ABOUT HIM :

• Tutankhamun was 9 years old when he became pharaoh of Egypt and his name in Ancient Egyptian means "the living image of the god Amun", a large Ancient Egyptian gods.•Tutankhamun lived in a transitional period in the history of ancient Egypt, where he came from after Akhenaten, who tried to unite the gods of ancient Egypt in the form of the one God and has been in his return to the worship of multiple gods of ancient Egypt.

• King Tutankhamun was, until the discovery of his tomb, a fairly insignificant and little known king from the 18th Dynasty. Even in spite of the amazing discoveries made in his tomb (KV62) we still have very little information about him. Surviving evidence indicates that he succeeded Smenkhkare and was the last of the true Amarna pharaohs. He grew up in the royal palace at Akhetaten, but during his reign power was switched away from the city of Akhetaten back to Thebes.

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Real Power

It is very likely that Tutankhamun had very little real power at this time. He grew up and spent his childhood at Akhetaten, where the only worship would have been of the Aten. For this reason he would probably have had little experience of the other traditional gods. It is likely that the return to the old ways after the death of Akhenaten instigated by the priesthood,who would have welcomed the possibility to regain the lands and power they had lost.

Little is known of Tutankhamun's family

. Various theories state that he was rither Akhenaten's son or brother, and that his mother was either Queen Tiye, Nefertiti or Kiya.

Tutankhamun was originally named Tutankhaten and it is certain that he was married to one of Akhenaten's daughters, Ankhesenamun.

• British British archaeologists archaeologists Howard & Howard & Carnarvon Carnarvon discovered Tut’s discovered Tut’s tomb in 1922. The tomb in 1922. The period he lived was period he lived was called the “New called the “New Kingdom”, in that Kingdom”, in that period Egyptians period Egyptians we worshipping we worshipping their multiple Gods.their multiple Gods.

He was an He was an Egyptian pharaohEgyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty. Tut was of the 18th dynasty. Tut was not the most important king, he not the most important king, he is well known because of his is well known because of his tomb, which contains tomb, which contains beautiful beautiful treasures.treasures.

Tut’s tomb

His tomb was discovered in 1922 in the Valley of the Kings by British archaeologist Howard Carter and the latest discovery much fanfare and widespread in the world.

When the tomb of Tutankhamun was discovered among the contents were two mummified unborn foetuses. It is hoped that DNA testing of these will reveal if they were Tutankhamun's children, as well as adding more evidence to the expanding database of Ancient Egyptian DNA.

TUTANKHAMUN'S TREASURESTUTANKHAMUN'S TREASURES

The "treasures" of Tutankhamun have been marvelled at The "treasures" of Tutankhamun have been marvelled at since their discovery by Howard Carter in 1922. It took a since their discovery by Howard Carter in 1922. It took a decade to catalogue, remove and conserve the thousands decade to catalogue, remove and conserve the thousands of items in the small tomb. A few of the items are displayed of items in the small tomb. A few of the items are displayed here and on following pages to be added as time permits. here and on following pages to be added as time permits. The two innermost sarcophagi are displayed in the Cairo The two innermost sarcophagi are displayed in the Cairo Museum, while the outer most one still holds the mummy Museum, while the outer most one still holds the mummy of Tutankhamun and resides in his tomb in the Valley of the of Tutankhamun and resides in his tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Kings.

Tutankhamun's second sarcophagus. Differences in Tutankhamun's second sarcophagus. Differences in its facial features suggest that it was probably its facial features suggest that it was probably intended for someone else.intended for someone else. Tutankhamun's third, innermost sarcophagus. Tutankhamun's third, innermost sarcophagus. Beaten from heavy gold sheet, Beaten from heavy gold sheet, it weighs 110.4 kg.it weighs 110.4 kg.

Inside tomb : Tutankhamun's tomb contained an elaborate set of Canopic containers. The calcite Canopic chest, with the stoppers

in the form of the King, contained four amazing canopic coffins. These seem to have been intended for the same individual as the second coffin, possibly Smenkhkare and there is evidence that the inscriptions on them had been modified to include Tutankhamun's titles. The difference in facial featured found on the models, shabtis and coffins in the tomb seem to indicate that items were collected from various sources for the burial.

The 4 Canopic Coffins were essentially small copies of the kings second coffin. Like so much of the equipment found in the tomb they display an extremely high standard of workmanship.

The Cairo Museum contains a great deal of Tutankhamun's 'treasure' in addition to the Mask. This delicately inlaid circlet was found on the head of the mummy when it was unwrapped. It represents yet another example of the fine detail which the ancient craftsmen included in the Kings jewelry

Tutankhamun's outer golden shrine was protected by four goddesses, Isis, Nephthys, Neit and Selket. The transition away from the Amarna style is clearly shown here. The standing figures are dressed in the Amarna style, but the representations of the goddesses on the shrine itself are in the 'traditional' style.

A dagger with a falcon head - the symbol of the gods Horus and Re - is stuck in his waistband. The king grasps truncated cylinders that may represent document cases or scepters. Traces of feet on top of the base to the king's left indicate that a smaller scale statue of his wife once stood by his side. The colossal statue is seventeen feet, four inches high, making it the tallest ancient Egyptian statue in the Western Hemisphere. It weighs approximately 6 tons (12,000 pounds).

• Hawass said the remains of Tutankhamun, who ruled about 3300 years ago, showed no signs that he had been murdered - dispelling a mystery that has long surrounded the pharaoh's death.

• "In answer to theories that Tutankhamun was murdered, the team found no evidence for a blow to the back of the head, and no other indication of foul play," according to a statement released yesterday by Egyptian authorities.

• "They also found it extremely unlikely that he suffered an accident in which he crushed his chest."

• Hawass said some members of the Egyptian-led research team, which included two Italian experts and one from Switzerland, interpreted a fracture to Tut's left thighbone as evidence that the king may have broken his leg badly just before he died.

• AdvertisementAdvertisement• "Although the break itself would not have been

life-threatening, infection might have set in," the statement said.

Cause of death;

• Tutankhamun during the imaging software Acharhristi triangular Aloavadfattrp long was the cause of the death of Tutankhamen, a controversial issue and there were a lot of conspiracy theories which suggest the idea that he did not die but was killed in the assassination. In the March 8, 2005 as a result of the use of imaging software Acharhristi three-dimensional three-dimensional CT scans of Tutankhamun's mummy, said the Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass, said there was no any evidence that Tutankhamun had been subjected to the assassination, adding that the hole in his skull for some reason no longer receiving a blow to the head as previously thought, but these were the events of this slot after death for the purpose of embalming, Zahi Hawass explained the break in the left thigh bone, which has long been linked to the theory of the murder as a result of a broken thigh bone suffered Tutankhamun before his death, perhaps resulting from inflammation This fraction may cause his death.

• "However, this part of the team believes it also possible, although less likely, that this fracture was caused by the embalmers."

• Some 1700 images were taken of Tut's mummy during the 15-minute CT scan aimed at answering many of the mysteries that shrouded his life and death - including his royal lineage, his exact age at the time of his death and the reason he died.

• Tutankhamun is believed to have been the 12th ruler of ancient Egypt's 18th dynasty.

• He ascended to the throne at about the age of 8 and died around 1323 BC.