See the face of the richest man who ever lived for the first time

Scientists put a face to a name after reconstructing the countenance of Tutankhamun’s grandfather AmenH๏τep III, marking the first time the iconic figure’s true likeness had been recreated in 3,400 years.

“If we are not mistaken, this is the first facial approximation of AmenH๏τep III,” Brazilian graphics designer Cicero Moraes, who resurrected the famous Pharaoh’s face, told Pen News of the groundbreaking project. “‘It is our gift to all those who appreciate history.”

Indeed, this marks a major breakthrough concerning the historical representation of AmenH๏τep III, who was one of history’s greatest pharaohs, presiding over an unparalleled epoch of peace and prosperity during his reign in the 14th century BC. He was also reportedly one of the richest men to have ever lived.

AmenH๏τep III's representation.
“We were amazed with the final result; seeing a complete bust with these colors and the facial serenity is quite satisfying,” gushed Cicero Moraes, the recreation’s creator. Credit: Cicero Moraes/Pen News

Ironically, this iconic leader also has more surviving statues than any other leader, but his face had never been reimagined — until now.

In order to bring AmenH๏τep’s likeness to life, Moraes first reconstructed his skull using data and images from his mummy. He then used data from living donors to approximate the dimensions and position of the king’s nose, ears, eyes, and lips.

“Based on historical knowledge, AmenH๏τep III had a robust appearance, which is why we used data from individuals with a high body mᴀss index,” described the tech wizard, who finalized the digital doppelganger by throwing on clothes and jewelry.

Voila, King Tut’s grandfather was finally visible in the digital flesh.

Some scientists speculate that AmenH๏τep III might be the richest person to ever live. Credit: Cicero Moraes/Pen News

“We were amazed with the final result; seeing a complete bust with these colors and the facial serenity is quite satisfying,” gushed Moraes. “Compared to other approximations of pharaohs that I have participated in, this was the most complete too, as we modeled the clothes and accessories.”

While this representation might seem frumpy for an ancient master of the universe, archaeologists argued that the real AmenH๏τep III looked less glamorous than he was portrayed in oft-idealized statues.

“Research carried out in the 1970s described AmenH๏τep III as an obese, sick, and sedentary man, who was almost bald, and suffered from dental problems in the last years of his life,” said Dr. Michael Habicht, an archaeologist at Flinders University in Australia. “Although he was one of the truly great kings of Egypt, his body height is about 156cm (around 5ft1), making him one of the smallest kings we know from their preserved mummies.”

He added, “This rather small body height is not reflected in art – in artworks he is famous for his gigantic statues.”

A pH๏τo depicting the mummy of AmenH๏τep III, which is now housed at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo. Credit: Pen News

Ultimately, the scientist deemed the facial recreation fit for the King, describing: “It’s a placid face for a man who promoted peace and lived in a time of the greatest economic prosperity.”

Indeed, AmenH๏τep — named after the sun and air god Amun, who he claimed was his real father — is often described as one of the greatest Kings in ancient Egypt, who was known for devoting himself to diplomacy, having undertook mᴀssive building contracts in Egypt and Nubia.

These monumental structures included a major temple at Soleb in Nubia and a mortuary temple in western Thebes featuring the iconic Colossi of Memnon.

A limestone bust of AmenH๏τep III at the British Museum. Credit: Pen News

The pharaoh’s wealth was also unparalleled, as indicated by both correspondence with diplomats and the bountiful bling in his representations.

“Diplomatic letters by foreign potentates begged him to send them some gold as a present, ‘as gold shall be abundant in Egypt as sand,’” said Habicht. “It’s the usual over-exaggeration for such a letter, but nevertheless hints towards extreme wealth.”

He added, “There are speculations that the mummy of AmenH๏τep III may have been entirely covered with gold leaf, so that he must have looked like a statue of a god.”

He was also famously egalitarian and would refuse to send Egyptian women to foreign leaders as wives. Despite the pharaoh’s apparent feminist streak, he was paradoxically a notorious womanizer, importing hundreds of foreign women to be part of his harem.

Related Posts

Researchers Determined That Two 1,000-Year-Old Mummies Met Gruesome Deaths

PH๏τo Credit: Anagoria / Wikimedia Commons CC BY 3.0 and Anagoria / Wikimedia Commons CC BY 3.0 When we think of mummies, we might envision kings, pharaohs,…

The Sumerian “Wristwatch”: Unveiling Ancient Symbolism and Status

The so-called “Sumerian wristwatch” has long been a subject of fascination and debate. Depicted in ancient Sumerian carvings, these circular objects worn on the wrists of gods…

A Remarkable Discovery: An Ancient Sword Found Beside a Skeleton in Kent, England

The Context of the Discovery At the end of this year, archaeologists unearthed an ancient sword lying next to a skeleton in a cemetery in Kent, England….

The Ancient Stone: Wulfruna’s Column and the Echoes of Medieval England

Standing weathered and worn against the skyline of Wolverhampton, a solitary stone column tells one of England’s most captivating tales of survival, transformation, and cultural evolution. This…

Unveiling the Mysteries of the Lady of Aigai: A Golden Tale of Macedonian Royalty

A Royal Discovery in Ancient Macedon In the heart of ancient Greece, archaeologists unearthed a remarkable treasure that would forever change our understanding of Macedonian royal life….

The Golden Guardians: King Tutankhamun’s Sacred Footwear and the Path to Eternity

A Glimpse into Ancient Egyptian Royal Rituals In the mystical realm of ancient Egypt, where pharaohs were considered living gods, King Tutankhamun’s golden sandals and toe caps…