Flourished Circa 1332-1322 B.C.E.
King, Dynasty 18

Intact Tomb. Tutankhamun is famous today because English archaeologist Howard Carter discovered his intact tomb in 1922. His historical importance rested on the reversal of Akhenaten's policy that suppressed the traditional Egyptian religion as well as its administration and political structure.

Family. The identity of Tutankhamun's parents is uncertain. DNA studies have demonstrated that he was descended from members of the royal family of Dynasty 18 (circa 1539-1295/ 1292 B.C.E.). His parents could have been either Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye or Akhenaten and an unknown queen. Iutankhamun never claimed a king or queen as a parent and no previous royalty claimed him as a son. His birth name was Tutinkhaten, which clearly indicates that he was born in Tell el Amarna during the time that the Aten was worshiped there as the sole god of Egypt. He married the...