1343–1334 BCE: Tut-ankh-Amun (18th Dynasty, Part 9)

Maya, Ay, Horemheb, and others. The men who served King Tut'ankhamun were unusually prominent and powerful. The Overseer of the Treasury (Maya), the Supreme General (Horemheb) and the highest courtier…

The King's mummy, daily routine, and children.The tomb of King Tutankhamun (KV62) is the best-preserved of any pharaoh from ancient Egypt. Thanks to the preservation of his mummy, we can…

The King’s Great Wife. Queen Ankh-es-en-Amun (“She Lives for Amun”) was slightly older than her husband. Having grown up in the court, Ankhesenamun was established in power and experienced in…

Amun, Mut, Khonsu, and the King.Once a year, the city of Waset (Thebes / Luxor) hosted an enormous celebration. The Beautiful Festival of Opet honoured the great gods Amun-Ra, Mut,…

Shrines, Temples, Sanctuaries.Dr. Briana Jackson is a specialist in the worship of Aten. The sanctuaries, shrines, temples, and monuments of Akhenaten appear throughout Egypt, Wawat, and Kush. In this interview,…

Gold in them hills. The Restoration Project, initiated by Tut’ankhamun, was a costly affair. Although we imagine the pharaohs as “infinitely wealthy,” how did they acquire that legendary gold? In…

Living Images. Tut’ankhamun is famous for the Restoration of traditional temples. But what did that involve? Records from the King’s reign give us insight to the practical business. We see…

Caregiver and Tutor. Young Tut’ankhamun had multiple caregivers. We have already met Maia, the menat of the King. Now, we meet Sen-nedjem, the menay. From his large (but overlooked) tomb,…

One Who Nourished the God. Tut’ankhamun never refers to his birth mother. And until 1996, historians had little idea of the person who raised this young pharaoh. That changed with…

A stylish king.When archaeologists opened the tomb of King Tut'ankhamun, they found many of his childhood possessions inside. Today, we can get a sense of his life by looking at…