The Tomb of King Tutankhamun

It carries no 62 in the Valley of the Kings (KV 62). It is a small tomb it is cut down into the bedrock of the valley, probably been made initially for the high priest Ay.

The entrance stairway consists of 16 steps going down to the Corridor and this corridor leads to the Antechamber and the antechamber leads to the Annexe at the northern end while the eastern side leads to the Burial Chamber, which leads in its turn to the Treasury on the eastern side.

The burial chamber is the only decorated room in the tomb. Everything found there was crammed over each other, every space was used that is because of the king’s sudden death, which caused the people to put everything in very rapidly even the daily life equipments were put in together with the funerary equipment.

 Also there was no time to decorate the whole tomb. Only the burial chamber was decorated because the dead king would need all the spells depicted on the walls closer to his body for his protection in the afterlife. The walls were painted very quickly and the tomb was rapidly closed.

That’s why when the burial chamber was opened, the walls were covered with fungus because the paints didn't have time to fully dry, and this maybe one of the reasons that caused people’s death after the discovery; not as was said because of the curse of the pharaohs. "Death will come on swift wings for those who will disturb the king" but these words were just a spell, or not?!

Some events triggered the famous so-called “Curse of the Pharahs” related to the opening of the tomb of Tutankhamun:

• Carter’s canary was eaten by a cobra on the day of discovery
• Death of Lord Carnarvon as a result of a mosquito bite, after slashing his cheek while shaving and the wound became infected.

• However, many others who visited the tomb or helped to discover it lived long and healthy lives. A study showed that of the 58 people who were present when the tomb and sarcophagus were opened, only eight died within a dozen years.

All the others were still alive, including Howard Carter, who later died of lymphoma at the age of 64 in 1939

Scholars believe that the tomb was affected by 2 robberies, which happened very early in the 19th or 20th dynasty, because there were signs of re-closure at the top left- hand corner of the blocking. The robberies were soon discovered and the corridor was filled up to the top with limestone chippings and the tomb was resealed.

The 1st robbery was confined to the antechamber and the annexe while the 2nd robbery was more extensive where robbers burrowed through the corridor fill, this time they entered the entire tomb and reached up to the outermost shrine of the king.

The thieves managed to steal some of the jewellery together with unguents and perfumes, which they poured in leather bags, as they couldn’t manage to get the stone vessels out of the tomb.

 Some fingerprints could still be seen on the vessels together with traces of the unguents robbed, on the rims of some of the containers.

Tutankhamun’s Burial:

Around the sarcophagus of Tutankhamun there are 4 shrines one inside the other in order to protect the mummy. After the outermost shrine everything remained completely intact so they didn't reach the precious jewellery, which were placed directly on the mummy as a kind of protection as jewellery was used as amulets for protection.

Tutankhamun’s mummy was originally put in one sarcophagus and three coffins. It used to be kept in the outermost quartzite sarcophagus in the burial chamber of his tomb.

Recent news confirmed that the mummy was moved from inside the sarcophagus to a nearby glass showcase with very accurate temperature controls to make sure that the mummy stays in perfect condition after signs of decay have been observed by Egyptologists.

The 4 funerary containers are:

1- Quartzite sarcophagus, still in situ at the tomb.
2- 1st gilded wooden anthropoid coffin
3- 2nd gilded wooden anthropoid coffin wood inlayed with semi-precious stones and covered with thick gold leaf.
4- The innermost anthropoid coffin which is made of pure gold (110 Kg of solid gold) 

Finally there was the golden mask covering the face of the mummified king with a total weight of 11 kg of pure solid gold.

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King Tut's Dagger Is 'Out of This World'

Why Did Tutankhamun Have A Dagger Made From A Meteorite?

Scientists have long speculated that the ancient Egyptians used metal from meteorites to make iron objects. Now an analysis of a dagger found in Tutankhamun’s tomb has given us strong evidence that this was the case – and that the Egyptians knew the iron had come from the sky.

But why did they use such an unusual source for the metal when there’s plenty of iron here on Earth? Until recently, we didn’t think that the ancient Egyptians were particularly good at producing iron objects until late in their history, around 500 BC.

There’s no archaeological evidence for significant iron working anywhere in the Nile Valley. Even the large amounts of iron-rich smelting waste products found in the Delta region could actually have been produced by attempts to make copper. When Tutankhamun died – 800 years earlier – iron was a rarer material than gold.

The most common natural source of metal iron on Earth is iron ores – rocks that contain iron chemically bonded to other elements.

These need to be processed by heating them with other materials (smelting) to extract a low-quality form of iron, which is then beaten with hammers to remove impurities. This requires considerable know-how, effort and tools that we have no evidence for in ancient Egypt.

There were abundant supplies of iron ore in both Egypt and the Sinai peninsula and textual sources indicate that Egyptians were aware of the metal from early in their history.

But the ore was mostly used to create pigments for art and make up. One explanation for this may be that the readily accessible iron ores were of poor quality so couldn’t be worked into more useful metal.

Tutankhamun's mummy was provided with two daggers encased in gold sheaths, one with an iron blade and the other with a blade of hardened gold. It is the latter specimen which is shown here.

As an illustration of the goldsmith's artistic ability and technical skill, this dagger, and particularly its sheath, are among the outstanding pieces of the collection.

On the top of the pommel are the king's cartouches in applied embossed gold and a wreath of lily-palmettes in cloisonne work.

On the underside are two figures of falcons holding in each claw the hieroglyphic symbol for 'eternity' (shen). The falcon was often represented in Egyptian art holding this symbol and, with wings outstretched, protecting a king.

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Ancient Egypt Facts

Egypt is one of the countries in Africa and the Middle East. The ancient name for Egypt is Kemet meaning 'black land'. It had obtained its name owing to the fertile black soil found on the plains of the Nile river which flows through Egypt. Egypt is also known for its historical monuments like the Giza pyramid complex and even the Egyptian civilization holds a lot of importance.Egypt is a country which has political and cultural significance for the Middle East.

Egypt derived its English name from various sources like the French word Egypte, from Latin Aegyptus and ancient Greek Aigyptos. Facts include farming, paintings, education, religious beliefs and other things that related to and explained the Egyptian lifestyle.

Farming in Egypt

One of the fundamental reasons that attributed Egypt to flourish was the fertile black soil along the Nile river which flowed through Egypt. Farming was a significant activity carried on by the ancient Egyptians. During that time, many farmers were experts in cultivating wheat, vegetables, a variety of fruits and onions.

Other items of farming included barley, flax, leeks, garlic, beans, grapes, figs etc. Wheat was used for making bread, barley for beer and Flax was integral for textile fiber. Papyrus reeds which grew naturally on Nile river were used making sandals, boats, paper, mats and baskets. Farming was carried out in all the seasons, except when it flooded.

During floods people avoided farming.Animals like goat, cattle oxen, pigs, ducks, etc were kept by the Egyptian people for their milk, meat and using them in farming. In the ancient Egypt irrigation was classified into catch basin, shaduf and dykes. Shaduf was functional in the high lying regions. The different types of irrigation helped in amplifying both the quality and quantity of crops thus making Egypt a prosperous nation.

Paintings in Egypt

The Egyptian paintings were basically dedicated to a dead person. Paintings were a way of expressing the intention of its maker that the deceased should have a good life after death. Many paintings show the whole journey after death. Also, there was a practice of painting on the tombs the things the dead person did before his death and what the deceased hoped he would keep doing forever.

Paintings were a source of keeping the history alive. The paintings also showed how the Egyptians lived their life and their belief about death and life after death was. Another important aspect of the Egyptian paintings was the depiction of animals. The primary colors used for painting were red, green, blue, gold and black.The Egyptians considered painting as a way of providing the dead a support which enabled him to carry on his journey after death.

The essence of the Egyptian paintings was its complete nature and less importance was given to the beautification of the painting. It was very essential for the maker of the painting to conserve everything he drew permanently. The painting was made by its maker by using his memory so that everything he includes in the paintings remains intact forever.


Costumes worn in Egypt

Clothes were primarily made from white linen. The Egyptian people also used wool. However, clothes made from wool were prohibited in the temples as they were made from animals. Egyptian people believed that wool should not touch the skin and so was made in that fashion. Men wore loincloths or short skirts. Women generally wore robes or tight dresses. Some of the dresses had some straps which concealed the breasts and the others exposed them.However much depended on the fashion that was prevalent then.

Children during the Egyptian time did not wear clothes until they reach adolescence. The clothes fashion was simple in the initial years of the Egyptian rule but it became complex at the fag end of the New Kingdom. Clothes pattern was determined by the occupation of a person. Farmers wore short skirts while a poor person wore fewer clothes.


Egyptian Pharaohs

Pharaoh is a modern title given to ancient Egyptian rulers. However, the Kings were not referred to as Pharaoh by the ancient Egyptians. The term 'Pharaoh' was basically used by Greek and Hebrews. The word par'o in Hebrew referred to the word 'pr' in Egyptian language which meant 'the great house'. The term 'Pharaoh' was always used in relation to the Royal Palace and it meant for the life, prosperity and health of the palace.From the fifteenth century BC Pharaoh was used as a synonym to King. However, the first use of the word 'pharaoh' can be traced to the New Kingdom during the middle of the eighteenth dynasty.

After 2000 BC, Pharaoh was referred to by five names, four of them being his throne names and one was the name given to him at the time of his birth.The late Egyptian word, the par'o word was reconstructed as per the Ancient Greek and Late Latin words pronounced as 'Pharaoh'. It was from this letter that the English word 'Pharaoh' was obtained. The ancient Egyptian people believed that Pharaoh was God Horus, the son of God Re or the Sun God. On the death of a Pharaoh it was assumed that he should be united with the sun.

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Why was Tutankhamun famous?

Because his tomb is the only tomb of a Pharaoh discovered in the Valley of the Kings that had not been robbed. All of the treasures buried with the king were still there.

Most Pharaonic tombs had been looted over the centuries, so only the tomb itself and none of its actual contents remained. Not Tutankhamun though, his tomb was crammed full of “wonderful things” in Howard Carter's own words.

As a matter of fact, Tutankhamun renown in the modern world is somewhat ironic, given that during his reign he actually accomplished fairly little of note. Today, he is, along with Cleopatra and possibly Ramesses the Great, among the only Egyptian Kings that most ordinary people can name.

 It is unlikely, however, that most ordinary people living in Ancient Egypt some time after Tutankhamun death would be able to recall him, or at least name any of his achievements, which were few.

Given that he was a child for most of his reign and died at 19, with the proceedings of the Royal Court likely being overseen by the vizier Ay, Tutankhamun was probably regarded as a footnote in history, insofar as a monarch viewed as a living god could be considered inconsequential.

It seems that even soon after his death, the Egyptians didn't waste too much time mourning, despite the riches interned within, the tomb of Tutankhamun is uncharacteristically small for king, and the priceless treasures buried with the Pharaoh were literally stacked unceremoniously on top of each other to maximise space, rather like one would cram bicycles into the back of car.

 The whole thing appears to have been a rather rushed affair, probably owing to the Pharaoh's sudden and unexpected demise.

Going by the size of the tomb, and some of the wall paintings, it was originally intended to house less important official or royal noble, possibly Tutankhamun’s mother (who was also his aunt - inbreeding probably contributed to his early death) and it was reprised at short notice.

This is possibly what spared it from robbers; nobody would have suspected such riches would be buried in such a modest tomb.

Tutankhamun was actually born Tutankhaten to the 18th Dynasty Pharaoh Akhenaten, who is notable for his sweeping religious deviation - Akhenaten was ostensibly the world's first monotheist, replacing the vast pantheon that made up Egyptian religion with the single cult of Aten - the sun disk - who was until then a minor solar deity.

The precise reason for Akhenaten fixation with Aten in particular is unclear, but his radical ideas shook Egypt to its core. Akhenaten attempted build a new capital at Amarna (Akhetaten in Egyptian, meaning “horizon of the Aten”), featuring numerous grand temples honouring the sun disk and Akhenaten as its prophet.

 It came as no surprise to anybody apart from maybe Akhenaten himself that these religious reforms were not popular, the priesthood were naturally outraged, and even the young Tutankhaten must have known it because immediately after ascending to power he reinstated the old pantheon, and Amarna was largely abandoned.

 Tutankhaten made a bold personal step in distancing himself the Amarna Heresies as they have come to be known, by changing his name to Tutankhamun - “living image of Amun,” Amun being the traditional chief God.

And that was about the only notable thing Tutankhamun did during his years on the throne, several generations of inbreeding resulted in a number of severe health problems including a clubbed foot, scoliosis and probably developing breasts that only worsened during his adolescence.

 While some have suggested murder, it is more likely in my opinion that the young Pharaoh died from complications from an injury resulting from his debilitating condition.

In death, however, Tutankhamun achieved what most Pharaohs with more lavish burials could not - sort of immortality. Or at least an undying legacy arising from the fact that his tomb was found unlooted, just as it had been left when it was first sealed over 3,000 years ago.

In 1923, the story of the riches of the tomb of the boy king took the world by storm, and is remembered to this day as one of the greatest archaeological discoveries in history.

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King Tutankhamun

The 18th dynasty was one of the most powerful royal houses of ancient Egypt. The late 18th dynasty, which included the reign of Akhenaten and Tutankhamun was an extraordinary and mysterious time.

The recent identification of a number of royal mummies from this era, the exact relationships between some members of the royal family and possible illnesses and causes of death have been matters of debate.

King Tutankhamun

Akhenaten, who ruled from 1351-1334 B.C. is considered one of the most controversial of the Egyptian Pharaohs because of his attempts to transform the traditional religion of his ancestors which lasted for a great number of years and that reflected all facets of society and caused great turmoil.

As for Tutankhamun, he is probably the most famous of all Egyptian Pharaohs and this has nothing to do with any historical importance but is due to the treasures that were found inside his tomb that had been discovered almost intact.

Tutankhamun was one of the last kings of 18th dynasty. He ascended the throne at a very young age at about nine years old and ruled for almost nine or ten years.

 He followed Akhenaton to the throne, as his right to the throne was established through the marriage with princess Ankhesenpaaten (third daughter of King Akhenaten and queen Nefertiti).

At the beginning of his reign, he lived in the royal palace at Tell el Amarna (for only three years) under the care of the royal nurses; the tomb of his royal wet-nurse was discovered recently at Saqqara.

 He was probably brought up together with his wife-to-be Ankhesenpaaten; they could have taken lessons together from the same teachers and scribes giving them instructions about the new religion of Aton.

Either before or immediately after the king ascended the throne, he came under the influence and authority of the priests of Amon especially Ay and returned to the cult of Amon.

He also left El Amarna, and the court was moved to Memphis as a transitional stage since Thebes was full of anger because of the new religion of Aton. Also from Memphis, it was easier to mount expeditions and control military operations in Asia Minor against the rising power of the Hittites.

Later on, he moved to Thebes and changed his name from Tutankhaten to Tutankhamun and the name of his wife name changed to Ankhesenamun.

He also returned to the main burial place of the New kingdom kings at the Valley of the Kings by burying some funerary equipments of Amarna royalty in KV 55 in which the tomb sealing prove that the one who made these deposits is Tutankhamun.

At Thebes also, he erected the Restoration Stela, which was found at the Hypostyle Hall at Karnak upon which he mentioned that he restored the stability in the country and returned to the cult of Amon and the other deities who had been neglected during the time of Akhenaton and he reopened temples and made restoration works there, also he participated in festivals such as the Opet festival as illustrated on the walls of the Colonnade of Luxor Temple.

    During his reign there were two powerful characters:

1)     Hor-m-heb who was an army general; he was a very strong military man.
2)    Ay who was a high priest of Amon.

 They were the two persons who actually ruled the country from behind the scenes especially when the king was a child. Throughout out the reign of Tutankhamun, the administration of Egypt’s affairs was in the hands of Ay who was the head of the government and his vizier.

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