Submitted by Nick Gilbert on Tue, 03/02/2010 - 15:20
Tutankhamun has always captured popular imagination, and been a major draw for museums. The British Museum's 1972 exhibition of artefacts from his tomb smashed all expectations in the box office, drawing over 1.6 million visitors over its nine month duration. The pharaoh nicknamed 'King Tut' has been the source of more speculation, satire and popular culture references than any other male king of Egypt. Last week pathologists announced the results from their studies into the genetic relationship of eleven mummies from the Egyptian New Kingdom (mid 16th to early 11th centuries BC), including those of the legendary pharaoh Tutankhamun.
After the reign of Amenhotep III a new style of Egyptian art began. This was mainly dude to the new religious beliefs towards Aten, the sun god. The style was to depict kings no longer in powerful, agressive poses, but rather more naturally, in relaxed poses and always with the image of the sun disc and its life giving rays. Thus, this shrine stela of Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye found in the house of Panehsy, shows Amenhotep's parents beneath the sun disc in a style which is usually confined to Akhenaten himself.
In the Armarna period from 1390-1327 BC, and during the reign of pharaoh Akhenaten, major changes began to take place in religious beliefs and in artistic styles and illustrations. This Limestone stela with a seated figure of Akhenaten depicts these changes in both its design and construction. The stela shows The King Akhenaten, who was also named Amenhotep IV in a relaxed and friendly pose, with a protruding chin and belly, seated bellown the disc of Aten. This is completely opposite to the way his predecessors where shown, who were usually depicted as powerful and strong kings. The new beliefs emphasised Akhenaten as the sole person with direct assess to Aten, the sun, who was thought to be the source of life. Thus, only the royal family were ever illustrated giving offerings to the sun god.
Although only the lower part of this limestone face statue remains, it is can be clearly recognised as Akhenaten. He was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty of Egypt ruling for 17 years from 1353-1336 BC. One can be certain that this is the face of Akhenaten as he chose to be represented very differently from other pharaohs. Other kings were shown as strong and powerful, however Akhenate was always represented as being physically weak, passionate and always portrayed in scenes depicting family gatherings. Features such as big lips, almond shaped eyes and a raised brow line are dominant features when depicting the King and his family. It is thought that his adoption of this new artisitc style was a reaction to his predecessors.
The King Tut results are in and right now everyone is going gaga over the fact that malaria appears to have played a role in the boy king's death. While this is an interesting find, there is another discovery - King Tut looked fairly normal, or at least he did not have a significantly bizarre or feminine physique - which also carries major implications for Ancient Egyptian research.
Alwyn Burridge holds a MA in Egyptology from the University of Toronto and is currently completing her PhD there. Her research focuses on Ancient Egyptian medicine and the medical conditions that famous Egyptians may have had.
She is currently working with Dr. Gonzalo Sanchez, a medical doctor, on a new translation of the Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus. The document dates back about 3,500 years and is one of the oldest medical documents in the world. It focuses mainly on trauma wounds and Burridge believes that it was written by a medic, training to assist an army.
About a decade back she proposed a theory that the pharaoh Akhenaten suffered from Marfan Syndrome. This is based in part on the art that was created during the pharaoh’s rule. It shows figures with long thin fingers, cone shaped heads and distorted bodies - physical characteristics that show some resemblance to those affected by this syndrome.
Burridge emphasizes that this condition does not affect intelligence. Abraham Lincoln had this condition and is widely considered to be one of the best presidents in American history.
Commonly referred to as the Amarna cache, KV55's history and the occupant is uncertain. Research by 'The Family of Tutankhamun' project lead to the conclusion that the mummy found in KV55 is the biological father of King Tutankhamun, and estimated the mummy's age at death to be somewhere between 45 and 55, rather than the previously thought 20 to 25 (closer to Smenkhkare's age), making it very likely this is indeed Akhenaten.
Artefacts discovered inside KV55 indicate that the tomb may have been used for the burial of multiple occupants, and later (probably during the 20th dynasty) the tomb was re-entered and the mummies were moved to KV35.
The mummy, found lying on the floor next to the Elder Lady in a side chamber of KV35 (Amenhotep II's tomb), is badly damaged, its right arm has been ripped off. CT-scans have suggested an age range between 25 and 35.
The Younger Lady, in June 2003, was controversially claimed to be Queen Nefertiti by British Egyptologist Joann Fletcher, whereas Egypologist Zahi Hawass believed it to be Kiya, another wife of Akhenaten who is believed by some to be the birth mother of Tutankhamun. Some believed this mummy to be a male.
Recently, with DNA testing, this mummy was shown in February 2010 to be a woman, possibly the mother of King Tut, the daughter of Amenhotep III and possibly Tiye (which would make her both the sister and wife of Akhenaten). Her name, however, remains unknown, leaving open the possibility that she is Kiya or another, unknown wife of Akhenaten.
As far as we know, Nefertiti only had daughters, which further debunks Joann Fletcher's claim.
The 'Elder Lady' (discovered in KV35, lying next to the the badly damaged Younger Lady) is well-mumified, with curly hair and must have been about 50 years old when she died. She was discovered in KV35 and many scholars believe that she may be Queen Tiye, the mother of Akhenaten.
Supporting this theory are her age at death and the possibly 'royal' position of her hands (the left arm at the chest and the right down by her side). In addition, one study comparing a strand of the Elder Lady’s hair to a lock of hair found inside a tiny coffinette inscribed for Tiye from Tutankhamun’s tomb concluded that the two samples matched. However, these results have been disputed, and the identification is still not secure.
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