This ornate mask decorated the sarcophagus of Tutankhamun.
The pharaoh Tutankhamun, known to many today as "King Tut," ruled from around 1333 to 1323 B.C., during the Egyptian 18th dynasty. His short life was eventful, and thanks to the discovery of his tomb in 1922 we know more about him than we do about many other Egyptian kings. Tutankhamun's young age and the fascinating treasures of his tomb make him an ideal way to teach kids about ancient Egypt.
Tutankhamun's Name
Tutankhamun's name means "living image of Amun." Amun was an Egyptian sun god whose name is sometimes spelled Amon. Tutankhamun's original name was Tutankhaten, which means "living image of Aten." His father, the pharaoh Akhenaten, attempted to suppress the worship of other gods with the worship of his own god, Aten, but after his death Tutankhamun, probably advised by priests, reversed his father's reforms. Even Tutankhaten was probably not Tutankhamun's original name. Another source, the Amara letters, refers to him as Nibhurrereya. It was not uncommon for pharaohs to have several names.
Family Life
Tutankhamun was raised in the royal court at the city of Akhetaten. His mother was an unidentified woman known to Egyptologists as the "Younger Lady." This mummy has been proven by DNA testing to be Tutankhamun's mother. His uncle Smenkhkare probably succeeded Akhenaten as pharaoh for a short period, but little is known about him. Tutankhamun married his own half-sister, Ankhesenepatan, who later changed her name to Ankhesenamun. Marrying one's sister was common in the Egyptian royal family: Akhenaten had also married one of his own sisters.
Tutankhamun the Boy
Young students can empathize with Tutankhamun because he himself was very young. By the time he died, at the age of around 18, Tutankhamun had already been king for 10 years. However, Tutankhamun probably did not rule directly. His ministers ran most of the government for the young pharaoh. These ministers included his military leader, General Horemheb, Ay, his vizier, and Maya, the Overseer of the Treasury. When Tutankhamun died, Ay succeeded him as king and was in turn succeeded by Horemheb.
The Tomb of Tutankhamun
Tutankhamun's tomb, also known as KV62, is located in the Valley of the Kings near Luxor in Egypt. Because it was not discovered until 1922 and therefore was not looted, the tomb was filled with treasures intended to accompany the young pharaoh into the afterlife. Many of these may originally have been intended to be placed in other tombs, since Tutankhamun's early death did not allow for a proper funeral to be prepared. The king's body was placed in the innermost of a series of coffins, and the tomb was filled with furniture, vessels for offerings, costly perfumes, ritual statues and many other items including chariots.
