** Discovery **

A team from the University of Memphis (that's Memphis, Tennessee--not Memphis, Egypt) has discovered an intact tomb in Egypt's Valley of the Kings. It's the first such find since Howard Carter discovered King Tut's tomb in 1922. The tomb is just a few feet from Tut's, and it evidently dates from right around Tut's time.

Study of the tomb and its contents--including five mummies in undamaged sarcophagi--is just getting started. While the Memphis team digs in to their new discovery, let's look back at the man next door: King Tutankhamun himself. Who was he? And why did his tomb survive intact?


Tut, Tut, Tut

King Tut was born around 1342 BC. No one knows who his parents were, but most likely his father was the Pharaoh Akhenaton, and his mother was a minor royal wife named Kiya, who might have died in childbirth. During 18 turbulent years of rule, Akhenaton had tried to eradicate Egypt's ancient religion in favor of the exclusive worship of the sun god Aton. In the process, he had stirred up hatred among priests and ordinary Egyptians alike.

Akhenaton's reforms died with him in 1335 BC. His successor, Smenkhkare, ruled for less than two years. Then, in 1333, Tutankhamun came to power, although at the time he was called Tutankhaton ("the living image of Aton"). The new pharaoh was all of 9 years old. A commoner called Ay acted as regent.

Ay had risen to prominence during Akhenaton's reign. After his patron was gone, he and another commoner, Horemheb, divided power between them. While Ay guided the young Tut, Horemheb took command of Egypt's armies.

That Ancient Old-Time Religion

Under Ay's influence, Tut reinstated Egypt's "old-time religion" and changed his name to Tutankhamun to distance himself from the unpopular worship of Aton. He also took a bride--his half-sister Ankhesenamun (strange as it sounds, ancient Egyptian royals often married their close relatives). None of his children with Ankhesenamun outlived their pharaoh father.

Tut's reign was dedicated to returning Egypt to its glory days. The old temples were restored, the military reinvigorated, and new building plans announced. Even as Tut was growing into adulthood, though, his body might have been growing frail. His tomb contained more than 100 walking sticks, and Tut was almost always pictured seated on a stool, even while hunting.

Tut died, abruptly, in 1323 BC, still short of his 20th birthday. At the time, Horemheb was away on campaign against the Hittites. That left Ay with a clear path to power--if he acted quickly. Once Tut was safely in the ground, Ay had himself crowned pharaoh.

Death Becomes Him

A pharaoh would usually be mourned for more than two months, while his body was mummified and his grave goods produced. Temple remains show Tut was buried quickly. His body was shoddily mummified, and his tomb was small and largely undecorated (it was probably intended for someone else). Even his burial offerings were a motley collection, some labeled with a different pharaoh's name.

Ironically, the relative ignominy of Tut's burial is what sealed his later fame. He was tucked away in a poor, nondescript tomb. Then, when Pharaoh Ramses VI's tomb was carved out of the rock overhead, the opening to Tut's tomb was buried under debris.

Later generations forgot he was there. Tomb raiders consequently focused their efforts on more prominent mausoleums, and in 1922 Tut's burial chamber was still undisturbed, just waiting to be discovered by Howard Carter. So Tutankhamun--frail in life--became magnificent in death.

Mark Diller
February 10, 2006