159: End of an Era
When Ay Died. The elderly pharaoh, Kheper-kheperu-Ra Ay, probably died in his fourth or fifth year of power (c. 1331 / 1330 BCE). Officially, his reign was short. But in…
158: What Ay Did
Building Legacies. It is easy to overlook Ay, as a minor figure in the history of ancient Egypt. However, when we step back, and view this King’s entire career (including…
157b: Warlords
Horemheb and Hatti.In the days of King Ay (and Tutankhamun before him) conflicts in Canaan and Syria remained a constant issue. In recent years, scholars have uncovered more information about…
157: The Road to Kadesh
Keeping up with the Kadeshians. In the past, historians thought the Egyptian government was passive (or even "pacifist") in the days of Akhenaten, Tutankhamun, and Ay. However, new discoveries have…
156: Oh, Ay Just Can’t Wait to be King
The servant ascends. Considering his background, it's not surprising that King Ay turned out to be quite "conservative." His early deeds continued the policies of Tutankhamun (a regime in which…
155: The Queen’s Gambit
A difficult decision. Events in this period are murky. But if Ankhesenamun was the "Daḫamunzu" of Hittite record, then her attempt to find a new husband (of royal blood) had…
154: Daḫamunzu (tA-Ḥmt-nsw)
He said, she said. Around 1334 BCE (give or take), the King of Hatti received a curious message. While on campaign, King Suppiluliuma got word that Egypt's pharaoh (someone called…
153f: The Tomb of Tutankhamun (Part VI, Final)
Annexe and End of Excavation. Howard Carter uncovered the tomb of King Tutankhamun in November 1922. He would continue labouring in the monument until 1927, and the final conservation of…
153e: The Tomb of Tutankhamun (Part V)
Treasuries and Heirlooms. East of the Burial Chamber, in Tutankhamun's tomb, the per hedj ("Treasury") contained a smorgasbord of beautiful objects. Some of these were sacred, like the canopic vessels…
153d: The Tomb of Tutankhamun (Part IV)
Curses and Controversies. From the moment they announced their discovery, Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon were faced with overwhelming attention. How they responded, and how they chose to approach the…
