Ancient Egypt King Tutankhamun (King Tut)

The Golden Mask of Tutankhamun at Cairo Museum

Ancient Egypt King Tutankhamun (King Tut)
1336 - 1327

King Tutankhamun was the twelfth king of the 18th Dynasty. He was only eight or nine when he became king. King Tut married Akhenaten's daughter. King Tut died at about the age of 19. Early X-rays showed damage to his skull, and some archaeologists thought he may have been murdered. Newer studies suggest a badly broken leg, infection, or malaria may have caused his death. He was buried in the Valley of the Kings.

The tomb of King Tutankhamun was discovered in November of 1922. The reason it was not discovered earlier was because workers digging the tomb of Ramesses VI nearby had tossed all the loose dirt and rocks down the hill on King Tut's tomb. It was buried and out of sight for over 3,000 years. King Tut's tomb had been broken into by robbers before, but little had been taken. The burial chamber containing the coffin was untouched. In the burial chamber was the golden mask seen above. Today the mask is displayed at the Grand Egyptian Museum near Giza. Because his tomb was untouched, archaeologists have been able to learn a great deal about Ancient Egypt’s culture.

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