Tutankhamun (king Tut) part 1

King Tut The Boy Pharaoh

 

Tutankhamun, or better known as King Tut, is an 18th dynasty pharaoh who inherited the throne at a young age. His reign was short-lived and upon his death he quickly faded into the sands of Egypt. Once forgotten, King Tut now remains one of Egypt’s grandest icons. He continues to hold the world’s fascination and yet he still continues to puzzle the world's leading experts. So many stories surround this pharaoh that at times it can be daunting.

Come take an in-depth look at King Tut and explore his life, treasure, curse, and discovery. Then venture deep into King Tut’s tomb as Howard Carter did on November 22, 1922.

The Discovery Of King Tut's Tomb

 Tutankhamun’s tomb is located in the Valley of the Kings and is by far the best preserved royal tomb ever discovered. The tomb, which was thought to be left intact, was believed to be robbed twice. Even though this tomb revealed treasure beyond our imagination, it was modestly furnished compared to the pharaohs before and after Tutankhamun's time.

This “humble” tomb had remained hidden for 3000 years and had eluded tomb robbers and flash floods for many centuries. With the odds stacked against finding this tomb, the discovery of this tomb was brought to light through Theodore M. Davis who was an American business man.

Davis was the first person to find items that led to the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb. His first clue came from a famous cache (a group of royal funerary objects from Tell el Amarna that were brought to Thebes to escape destruction). These items were hidden in a safe tomb, and according to the clay sealing of the cache, it was done by Tutankhamun himself. Some Egyptologists believe this royal cache was probably stored by tomb robbers who hoped to find the treasure later. Among these treasures, furniture that belonged to Tutankhamun was found there too. In addition, there were other clues that gave some insight to the existence of Tutankhamun's tomb in the Valley of the Kings.

More clues were found inside a small pit in 1907. This pit provided seal impressions of Tutankhamun along with many embalming materials such as linen bags, natron, and broken pottery. These findings were overlooked and sent to New York where they underwent examination. Theodore also discovered a faience cup with King Tut’s name upon it. Close to this cup and under a large piece of stone, Mr. Davis found fragments of gold foil with Tutankhamun and Ankhesenamun (King Tut's wife) inlaid upon it. These clues were disregarded by Davis. It wasn't until later an Egyptologist, named Howard Carter, who worked with Davis during his excavations found the items to be very interesting.

After studying and examining these items, Carter was convinced that King Tut’s tomb lay inside the Valley of the Kings. Howard Carter quickly went to Lord Carnarvon, his long time friend, to finance his search for Tutankhamun’s tomb. Carnarvon reviewed the evidence and agreed that the tomb might still be there. They were given the concession to dig in 1914 but had to abandon the dig due to World War I.
  After the war had died down they resumed the dig. Like Davis they turned up without Tutankhamun’s tomb and Carnarvon started to run low on funds. Carnarvon was ready to give up and abandon the project. Carter persisted that Tutankhamun ’s tomb had to be hidden, so he pleaded for one more season of digging. He promised Carnarvon if nothing turned up, he would pay for the dig himself. Carnarvon agreed and digging began again on November 1, 1921.

They began this project by digging close to Ramesses VI’s tomb. While there, the workers were told to remove an Ancient workman’s hut. As they took down this hut a step was found.

Carter quickly ordered the steps to be cleared of sand and debris and by noon the next day the doorway was revealed. This door was stamped with the seal of the royal necropolis. The Necropolis seal depicted Anubis standing above five defeated enemies. Carter quickly sent a telegram to Carnarvon which said, “At last have made wonderful discovery in valley; a magnificent tomb with seals intact; re-covered same for your arrival; congratulations.”

Carnarvon and his daughter, Lady Evelyn Herbert, quickly left for Egypt to arrive in Alexandria on November 23rd. Once they reached the Archeological spot, they were met by Howard Carter and his assistant, A. R. Callender. They quickly removed the ruble from the 16 steps to show Carnarvon and his daughter the discovery. Both Lady Evelyn and Lord Carnarvon saw the royal stamp of Tutankhamun and the necropolis. 

. The next day Cater started to drill a hole into the plaster door. In the foreground, Carter, Carnarvon, Lady Evelyn, and Callender waited anxiously. Carter made the hole in the upper left-hand corner and started to chip away at the opening. As the hole became larger, it allowed him to peer inside. Carter held the candle into the darkness and permitted his eyes to adjust to the warm ancient air that exited the tomb. This air made the candle flicker.
 
The gold furniture became illuminated by the small candle. Carter stood frozen and looked with amazement. Lord Carnarvon who waited anxiously for any news quickly exclaimed, “Can you see anything?” Carter replied with, “Yes, wonderful things.”

They made the hole large enough to squeeze by and they all entered the tomb. They stepped carefully down into the first room. The air was warm and a faint smell of perfume and oil filled the air. To them, the tomb looked as if it had remained intact as the day it had been sealed. Carter held up the candle that flickered frantically as they moved about the tomb viewing all the objects. As the candle lit the room to a small glow, three animal couches were visible. As they searched about, Lady Evelyn turned her light to the left and a pile of broken chariots littered the room. Carter explained that tomb robbers had most probably thrashed the chariots in search of gold. At the end of the room and to their right two statuesque guards could be seen. They were life-sized statues of the king holding maces and staffs. With so much excitement they all agreed to explore more of the remaining tomb the next day.

The next day, Callender came prepared with electric lights and they were setup inside the tomb. This allowed the four of them to explore the tomb more freely The tomb was eventually excavated and heavily photographed and this excavation consumed many years of Carter’s life. He eventually died in 1939. Now its contents lay inside the Cairo Museum. The treasure toured the world during the 1970’s and the second tour began in 2005. 

King Tut’s Tomb: A Last Minute Effort

It has often been said that King Tut’s tomb was fabricated at the last minute due to the size of the tomb and the minimal wall paintings within the inside structure. This was a time after all, when most pharaohs spent a lifetime creating the perfect tomb that would house and protect their mummies into the afterlife. To illustrate the obsession for great tomb structures by pharaohs of Ancient Egypt, some were built over many years and incorporated a lot of manpower to complete; some took 20 years or more. The labor force, comprised of skilled artisans and builders, had to be astronomical and most probably worked around the clock to create and complete these super structures. It also took an abundant amount of Egypt’s wealth to get these finished.

Some more modern tombs during the New Kingdom show elaborate chambers that were dug beneath the ground into the Valley of the Kings. Just as the pyramids, these tombs also took a lifetime to create and were just as grand. Yet, King Tut’s tomb was merely comprised of four small chambers: the antechamber, the annex, the burial chamber, and the treasury room. Modest as it was in comparison to the more noted pharaohs such as Seti I, Ramses II or Khufu, it still produced one of the greatest treasures found and continues to give modern man a great insight into the actual world of the pharaohs. But, the lack of construction for this particular tomb in comparison to other pharaohs still leaves many unanswered questions.

The Evidence Speaks Clearly

King Tut was a child when he was given the throne and died around 18 or 19 years of age. His death was unexpected; or at least it appears to be so by his quickly devised tomb structure. Due to the Ancient Egyptian’s belief system, it was important the body be mummified and protected. This was done so the pharaoh’s spirit would be able to recognize his body. King Tut’s tomb, like all royal tombs, held items the king would need in his journey in the afterlife. This included items such as furniture, food, clothing, games, and jewelry. The amount of preparation work needed for a perfect tomb took a great deal of time and planning but it appears that, although a substantial amount of items were found, it does not compare to some of the other pharaohs of Ancient Egypt.

Due to the sudden death of Tutankhamun (King Tut), it was believed that probably not enough time was available to properly finish King Tut’s tomb. Instead, it was believed that the tomb that was appointed to him was that of his vizier Ay (Aye). This was made apparent through the tomb’s size as most kings had larger and more elaborate tombs compared to King Tut. Not only was the tomb considered to be on the smaller side, but the burial chamber was the only room that had been painted within the structure. This conceivable late-planning tactic was further reaffirmed as the tomb only had a few large figures painted on the walls. These paintings showcased the pharaoh with his subjects performing the opening of the mouth ceremony. Finding just these few paintings along the inside walls of a pharaoh’s tomb is unheard of as most tombs belonging to the elite and the pharaoh class usually displayed finely detailed murals covering the inside of the tomb and ceiling. If the artisans had had more time to decorate the tomb’s walls, the tomb of Tutankhamun may have been dressed up with magical spells, achievements, and godly depictions. But it wasn’t. Instead, the paintings were painted large due to a possible intention to cover the walls quickly.

The lack of art within the tomb is not the only sign that the burial may have been rushed, but the objects found within the tomb reveal a lot as well. For example, King Tut’s coffins have been a source of ongoing debate over the years. The second coffin used for the pharaoh has a face that looks different than the first and third coffin faces. In fact, many Egyptologists believe this coffin might have been for Smenkhkare, a mysterious pharaoh who ruled before King Tut.

To add further to this theory, many of the treasures within the tomb were believed to be for other people. Some experts insist some of the figures of King Tut look quite feminine and this has led some to believe that some of the statues might be for Nefertiti (step mother), Kiya (birth mother), Ankhesenamun (sister and wife), or some of King Tut’s half sisters. Though this might be highly unlikely, it is still a viable theory due to the sudden death of the young pharaoh and maybe a rushed burial.

The final evidence of a last-minute job can be seen in his sarcophagus. It is now believed the sarcophagus was made for another person but was quickly altered to accommodate the young pharaoh. Firstly, the lid and body of the sarcophagus are made from two different types of stones. Secondly, the lid was found with a crack in the middle and it appears that King Tut’s name may have been replaced with another. The haphazard way the tomb was put together does not point to the standard of a pharaoh’s tomb from Ancient Egypt, and especially because rulers were given god-like status.

A Smaller Tomb Pays Off

Though all pharaohs went to great lengths to ensure their tombs would be protected, most failed due to tomb robbers and thieves. It is believed that many of the artisans and officials who looked after the tombs were also the major culprits in robbing them. But how did King Tut’s tomb escape this fate? The answer is most likely because it was overshadowed by larger tombs, such as Ramses VI, and was small in comparison to pharaohs of that time. This most likely helped secure the tomb until it was discovered.

The tomb probably remained hidden as King Tut had such a short reign and it could very well be that it was forgotten and was thought to be insignificant when compared to other pharaohs of that time. He never expanded Egypt’s boarders or led any major campaigns; therefore, his presence was not as impressive as other pharaohs before or after him.

It is, however, a great achievement that King Tut’s tomb remained hidden as now we have a better insight into how a pharaoh of Egypt may have lived. We can only image what the more powerful pharaohs had buried within their tombs—especially Ramses II and Seti I.

Who Was King Tut’s Mother?

There appears to be a lot of mystery surrounding King Tut mother’s life, and there are several reasons for this obscurity. It could partly be to King Tut’s father, Akhenaten, bringing radical changes to politics and religion during his reign; therefore, causing much turmoil amongst the population. It seems that most of the royal records that held the key to Tutankhamen’s family lineage were destroyed soon after Akhenaten’s death. Akhenaten upset the balance of the culture and region so much so, that many pharaohs after him went to great lengths to erase him from history. It looks as if his son also partook in this practice.

So who was King Tut’s mother? Many Egyptologists concur that it is most likely Nefertiti or Kiya. Nefertiti was the famous queen often depicted with Akhenaten and logically could be Tutankhamen’s mother. She is often seen in many portraits with Akhenaten portrayed as “near” status to the pharaoh. The other woman is known as Kiya. Little is known about her origins or her life. It was believed that she was a foreign princess that became and remained Akhenaten’s second wife. She appears to be an important figure in Ancient Egypt and for the Pharaoh Akhenaten and was often referred to as, “The greatly beloved wife of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt.”

The jury is still out as to which one of these great women was truly King Tut’s mother. Many say it is Nefertiti; however, others believe it is Kiya. As more evidence comes to light, the facts seem to point to Kiya. A great belief is that Nefertiti was nothing more than a step-mother to King Tut. This is due to the fact that many of the tomb paintings and reliefs of Nefertiti do not show her with King Tut as a child; although, she is often depicted with Akhenaten and their six daughters.

Because Nefertiti’s mummy has not been discovered as yet, scientists cannot compare Tutankhamen’s DNA to determine if this queen was the true mother. For this reason alone, many will continue to refer to Nefertiti as King Tut’s step mother until more evidence can disprove this theory.

Kiya: King Tut’s Mother

More things seem to point to Kiya being King Tut’s true mother. New evidence has even come to light that now proves the young pharaoh was most likely a product of incest. This new DNA evidence from samples taken in 2008, suggests that Kiya and Akhenaten were siblings. This would not have been out of the ordinary as many Ancient Egyptian monarchs wanted to ensure that their bloodlines remained royal; therefore, common practice was to marry within families. It should be noted that King Tut was also married to his half-sister Ankhesenamun, which further substantiates this incestuous practice.

If the two siblings were the product of Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye, this would then exclude Queen Kiya from being a foreign princess. It should also be noted that many other experts believe “inappropriate analysis techniques” were used to determine these facts; therefore, dispelling these family-tree theories. 

KV63: King Tut’s Mother’s Tomb

King Tut mother’s tomb is believed to have been discovered in the Valley of the Kings; however, no mummy was actually located. The tomb is next to King Tut’s burial site but remains shrouded with mystery due to the absence of an actual body. The tomb is known as KV63 and was found as a cache filled with coffins and storage jars. Many of the coffins yielded nothing except the sixth one which contained six pillows. These pillows remain a mystery as well, but it is thought these pillows could have been important items belonging to the queen during her lifetime and could have been used as bedding while her body went through the mummification process. Of course this is all still speculation; however, if this embalming storage was in fact King Tut’s mother’s tomb, it would have been in conjunction with King Tut’s final wishes; that he be buried next to his mother.

To Be Continued

part 1

part 2

part 3

part 4

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