In
the 2nd year of his reign (ca. 1332 B.C.),
he changed his name to fit his new religion -- from Tutankhaten to
Tutankhamun, signifying his return to the worship of Amun which was banned by his
predecessor, Amenhotep IV. Old temples were re-opened and new ones were built.
The preceding divinity was known as the Aten, which was the foundation of a
monotheistic (worshiping one god) belief system. The return to the worship of Amun was a move
back to polytheism (worship of many gods).
Examination of his mummified remains
indicated that as a young adult he was small-boned and about five-feet five-inches tall.
He died around age 19 of unknown causes
after a nine-year reign. Some have speculated he
died a violent death as there is evidence of a blow to
the brother’s skull behind his left ear. Either it happened as an
accident or quite possibly he was murdered -- perhaps by someone close to him. A fragment of bone found inside
his mummified skull (x-ray pictured below) is consistent with damage caused by a blow to the head.
In death the brother was
laid out in unbelievable style. His mummy was placed in a solid gold coffin
securely encased in two wooden coffins each inlaid with gold. His face was covered with a
gold funerary (death) mask which was made of twenty-two and a
half pounds of gold (pictured above). Also buried in his tomb were his stillborn daughters – one had
been aborted, probably spontaneously, at five months, and the other at eight or 9 months.
They too were embalmed and mummified. His
remains rested peaceably for about 3250 years until his tomb was discovered
in 1922.
A ruler
around age eight or 9. Married at age 11. Dying around age 19.
Quickly forgotten by his own people after his early death, Tutankhamun is now remembered more for how he was buried than
for how he ruled as a pharaoh. The burial items found in his tomb are
objects of impeccable
artistry — made of combinations of expensive alabaster, ebony, gold, ivory, and semiprecious
stones.
Bruh had a huge
stash 'n got a lotta props after his death,
but how much did he get to
take with him to the other side?
Above:
The young pharaoh sported this
gold neck-piece which
was fitted
with
semi-precious stones. It covered his
shoulders 'n chest.
Right:
17 foot 4 inch tall statue of Tutankhamun.
Below:
Detail from a piece of his body armor.
 |
|
Above:
Three of
the young Pharaoh's gold
rings.
Right: Beaten from heavy gold
sheet about 1/8th of an inch
thick,
the innermost of his three nested
coffins weighs 296
pounds. Over 6 feet long, It is considered one of
the finest
examples of goldsmithing ever in history. |
 |
![YUBM [' yueb-oum ] pr.n.: Young Urban Black Male : distinguished tribe : distinctive vibe : uniquely positioned for a strategic role in redemptive history.](YUBMLog1.gif)
