# Tutankhamun: Egypt's Boy King

Tutankhamun, the boy king who ascended to Egypt's throne at approximately age nine, would have been a minor footnote in history had it not been for the spectacular discovery of his nearly intact tomb in 1922. Though his reign was brief and politically insignificant, the treasures found within his burial chamber transformed our understanding of ancient Egyptian culture and made "King Tut" the most famous pharaoh in modern popular culture.

Historical context illustration

### Quick Facts

- Reign: c. 1332-1323 BCE (9 years)
- Dynasty: 18th Dynasty
- Age at Death: Approximately 19 years
- Tomb Discovery: November 4, 1922
- Discoverer: Howard Carter
- Original Name: Tutankhaten

### The Boy King's Reign

Tutankhamun became pharaoh during one of ancient Egypt's most turbulent periods. His father, the heretic pharaoh Akhenaten, had upended Egyptian religion by promoting the worship of a single god, the Aten, and abandoning the traditional pantheon. When Tutankhamun took the throne as a child, powerful advisors guided his rule, orchestrating a return to traditional religious practices. The young king even changed his name from Tutankhaten (living image of the Aten) to Tutankhamun (living image of Amun), signaling this religious restoration.

Despite his youth and the influence of advisors like Ay and General Horemheb, Tutankhamun's reign saw Egypt begin to recover from the religious upheaval of the Amarna Period. Temples were reopened, the priesthood was restored to power, and the capital returned to Thebes from Akhenaten's city of Amarna. However, the young pharaoh died mysteriously at approximately age 19, ending his brief reign and leaving Egypt's political future uncertain.

### Howard Carter's Spectacular Discovery

On November 4, 1922, British archaeologist Howard Carter made what many consider the greatest archaeological discovery of all time. After years of fruitless searching in the Valley of the Kings, funded by Lord Carnarvon, Carter's team uncovered a step leading to a sealed doorway. What lay beyond would captivate the world and revolutionize Egyptology.

When Carter first peered into the tomb by candlelight, Lord Carnarvon asked if he could see anything. Carter's famous reply was, "Yes, wonderful things!" The tomb contained four rooms filled with over 5,000 objects, including furniture, chariots, weapons, clothing, jewelry, and ritual objects. It took Carter and his team nearly ten years to catalog and remove all the artifacts. The tomb's relatively intact state was miraculous, as it had escaped the extensive looting that had befallen nearly every other royal tomb in the valley.

### The Treasures of Tutankhamun

The tomb's treasures provided unprecedented insight into ancient Egyptian burial practices and royal life. The most iconic artifact is undoubtedly Tutankhamun's golden death mask, weighing 11 kilograms and inlaid with lapis lazuli and other precious stones. This masterpiece of ancient craftsmanship has become the defining image of ancient Egypt worldwide.

The burial chamber contained nested coffins, with the innermost made of solid gold. The king's mummified body wore golden sandals and was adorned with numerous amulets and jewelry. Other remarkable finds included gilded shrines, alabaster canopic jars containing his organs, a golden throne depicting the young pharaoh with his wife Ankhesenamun, ceremonial beds shaped like animals, and numerous statues of gods and the king himself. Each artifact demonstrated the extraordinary skill of Egyptian artisans and the wealth invested in ensuring a pharaoh's successful journey to the afterlife.

### The Curse Myth

Shortly after the tomb's opening, Lord Carnarvon died from an infected mosquito bite, sparking sensational media reports of a "pharaoh's curse." Newspapers claimed that an inscription warned of death to those who disturbed the king's rest, though no such inscription existed. Several other individuals connected to the excavation died in subsequent years, fueling the legend.

In reality, the "curse" was largely a creation of the press seeking sensational stories. Howard Carter himself lived for 17 years after the discovery, dying at age 64. Scientific studies have shown that most individuals involved in the excavation lived to normal lifespans for their era. However, the curse myth persists in popular culture, adding to Tutankhamun's mystique and demonstrating humanity's enduring fascination with ancient Egypt's mysteries.