King Tutankhamun’s golden funerary Mask

Also known as Tutankhaten, was the antepenultimate pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty of ancient Egypt. His death marked the end of the dynasty’s royal line.

Tutankhamun ascended to the throne around the age of nine and reigned until his death around the age of nineteen. The preeminent action of his reign is the countermanding of the religiopolitical changes enacted by his predecessor, Akhenaten, during the Amarna Period: he restored the traditional polytheistic form of ancient Egyptian religion, undoing the religious shift known as Atenism, and moved the royal court away from Akhenaten’s capital, Amarna.

The Golden Mask of King Tutankhamun (King Tut) — Aux Trois Crayons

Also, Tutankhamun was one of few kings worshipped as a deity during his lifetime; this was usually done posthumously for most pharaohs.

In popular culture today, Tutankhamun is known for his vastly opulent wealth found during the 1922 discovery of his tomb, KV62, the only such tomb to date to have been found in near-intact condition. The discovery of his tomb is widely considered one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of all time.

Mask of Tutankhamun - Egypt Museum

Since then he has been referred to colloquially as “King Tut”

Tutankhamun acquired kingship during a tumultuous time period. Akhenaten’s Atenism had engendered nationwide destabilization, and his successor, likely Tutankhamun’s paternal older half-brother, Smenkhare, had an abruptly short reign. This was followed by another abruptly short reign of Neferneferuaten, likely Smenkhare’s widow, Meritaten.

The famous gold mask of Pharaoh Tutankhamun who lived from 1341 to 1323 BC  (770x1024) : r/ancientegypt

It was under these tenuous circumstances that after Neferneferuaten’s death, Tutankhamun inherited the throne and expounded the reversal of Atenism, which involved extensive reconstruction and the reconsecration of the traditional cults and clergymen, as evidenced most eminently by the artifact known as the Restoration Stela.

During this time, the traditional cult of the god Amun was reestablished, and the king subsequently reтιтled himself from Tutankhaten to Tutankhamun. In accordance with this, his wife also reтιтled herself from Ankhesenpaaten to Ankhesenamun

Gold Mask of Tutankhamun IDENTICAL Reproduction Replica

Following Tutankhamun’s untimely death after a decade reign, his vizier, and perhaps granduncle, Ay, ᴀssumed the throne, likely marrying Ankhesenamun, despite Tutankhamun’s commander-in-chief, Horemheb, being designated by Tutankhamun as heir.

Ay’s reign was abruptly short, and Horemheb became pharaoh next, also possibly briefly marrying Ankhesenamun until her untimely death a couple years into Horemheb’s lengthy reign. Horemheb was able to secure the throne due to the death of Ay’s designated heir, generalissimo Nakhtmin, toward the end of Ay’s reign. It was Horemheb who saw to it that the restoration of the traditional ancient Egyptian religion was completed, restabilizing the nation.

In due course, Horemheb had selected then civilian military officer, Ramesses I, as heir to the throne, who already had a grandson, Ramesses II, who would then go on to become the third pharaoh of the Nineteenth dynasty

Related Posts

Rosalia Lombardo: The “Sleeping Beauty” of Palermo

The image above captures one of the most haunting and poignant sights in the history of preservation: the remarkably lifelike remains of Rosalia Lombardo, a young Italian…

Whispers of Eternity: The Mysterious Monolith of the Andean Highlands

Whispers of Eternity: The Mysterious Monolith of the Andean Highlands

High in the rugged Andean highlands, where thin mountain air meets endless skies, stands a solitary and enigmatic stone monolith. Scholars suggest it may date as far…

Echoes of Stone: The Ancient Archway Near the Great Pyramid of Giza

Echoes of Stone: The Ancient Archway Near the Great Pyramid of Giza

Amid the golden sands of Giza, not far from the imposing silhouette of the Great Pyramid, stands a weathered yet captivating ancient archway. Believed to have been…

Echoes of the Ancients: The Doddington Rock Art in Northumberland, England

Echoes of the Ancients: The Doddington Rock Art in Northumberland, England

Nestled in the rugged landscapes of Northumberland, England, lies the Doddington Rock Art, an extraordinary collection of prehistoric carvings that dates back to the Neolithic and Bronze…

The Mystery of the Bent Pyramid: An Ancient Egyptian Tale of Innovation

In the golden sands of Dahshur, where the scorching Egyptian sun casts long shadows across the desert landscape, stands a monument unlike any other in the ancient…

The Untouchable Enigma: Unraveling the Mystery of Egypt’s Bashiri Mummy

A Delicate Window into Ancient Egypt’s Past In the vast realm of Egyptian archaeology, one artifact stands apart, captivating researchers and history enthusiasts alike: the Bashiri mummy….