King Tut, the boy king was more famous in death than in life. He was an Eighteenth Dynasty Pharaoh whose tomb was discovered in 1922. Why was this discovery exciting? His tomb, the first intact Egyptian Pharaoh’s burial site ever found, and the artifacts inside gave archaeologists key information about ancient Egypt life and culture.

Tutankhamun’s Attendants

His cup-bearer was unnamed in historical accounts, but his personal attendant was Tutu. Tutu was accused of killing Tutankhamun, but not enough evidence was found to convict him.

His other attendants were: Ipay, Royal Butler, Ipi, Royal Scribe and fan-bearer on the right, Pay, Royal Overseer, and Raia, Master of the Horses and fan-bearer on the right. Replicas of Egyptian attendants attire made excellent costumes and were used in theatrical productions.

· Attendants
· Tutu

The Death of a King

Was King Tut murdered? The debate has raged for over 75 years, and was never decided. X-rays taken in 2005 revealed the mummy’s curved spine and fused upper vertebrae. Researchers believed King Tut had Klippel-Feil syndrome, as well as other health problems, and favored the theory of death from natural causes.

· Tut Testing
· More Evidence

The Discovery of King Tutankhamun’s Tomb

Howard Carter discovered King Tut’s tomb in November of 1922. His historical fame was solidified by the discovery of the first nearly intact tomb of a Pharaoh and a pristine royal mummy. The tomb was hidden by another structure for over 3,000 years. King Tut died suddenly, and was buried in a borrowed tomb, but left many treasures.

The interior of the tomb was messy as a result of foiled burglary attempts, and some semi-precious items like oils and perfumes were gone. Statutes, burial artifacts, and the sarcophagus were undisturbed. Inside the sarcophagus was a gold inner coffin to protect the mummified remains of King Tut. The mummy was still wearing gold finger and toe adornments, and golden sandals.

Two tiny mummies were found in the tomb, and were believed to be stillborn children of the king. In 2008, DNA testing was done on the mummy remains to see if paternity could be established.

· Tomb Discovery
· Tut's Tomb

The King’s Burial

King Tut’s tomb was originally planned for either Ay, his vizier, or Horemheb, his deputy. King Tut received a royal burial, overseen by Ay. The burial process took 70 days to complete, and included:

· Embalming to remove moisture, dry the body, and prevent decay.
· Mummification, which consisted of wrapping the body with linen, spices, and oil.
· Rituals, prayers, and magic spells to protect the king and usher him into the afterlife.
· Tomb preparation with necessary accessories, such as canopic jars to store organs.

Religious significance was observed and prepared the king for his afterlife. Food, wine, and oils were buried with the body, because Egyptians believed the dead would eat and live as usual in the after world.

· Burial Chamber
· Burial Process

The Succession

Ay married King Tut’s widow, and claimed the throne. Ay ruled for four years, then died. Horemheb succeeded Ay and was the last Pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty.

· Ay
· Horemheb