"The Pharaoh who in life was one of the least esteemed of Egypt’s kings has become in death the most renowned"

Ancient Egyptian civilization has always held a timeless fascination, and on going archeological discoveries unfolding hidden treasures and captivating stories about the ancient world are an assuring proof. The story of Nebkheperure Tutankhamun (Tutankhamen) or King Tut, as nicknamed in popular culture reinforces the magnificence and longevity of the ancient world. King Tut was an 18th dynasty pharaoh, ruling Egypt for only ten years (precisely from 1324 BC -1333 BC) in a period of ancient history known as the New Kingdom. Ironically, his fame and popularity were not evident during his period of ruling –unlike for example King Khufu the builder of the Great Pyramid at Giza - as he was only nine when he came to power -dubbed as the “boy King”- with his vizier taking all significant political decisions on his behalf. However, all came to change in modern times with Howard Carter’s breakthrough discovery of King Tut’s immaculate mummy, resting intact in his original burial furniture in the Valley of the Kings (at Luxor) in November 1922. Such a matchless archeological discovery attracted worldwide press coverage and public interest in the life of once an unpopular King, as it was a gateway to travel through time to discover the mysteries of the New Kingdom, in addition to uncovering the journey through the underworld, and the rituals assisting the Pharaohs in the afterlife.

The New Kingdom at a glance, ancient Egyptian belief in after life and the Mummification process:
Historians refer to the New Kingdom (1550-1070 BC), which initiated with the reunification of north and south as “Egypt’s Golden Age”. Regular military campaigns constantly took place to even reach as far as Nubia, and consequently remarkable wealth was injected into ancient Egypt from foreign tribute to be directed for art and architecture to flourish (this period witnessed the construction of massive temples, leaving behind for the modern world magnificent structures like that of Karnak Temple which was the culture center of the local Theban deity Amun-. In 1500 BC, Thebes (today modern Luxor) became the royal burial necropolis for the New Kingdom’s Pharaohs. Tombs were dug deep in the remote and barren valley of Thebes on hope to stop robbers from stealing the Pharaoh’s priceless possessions.

Ancient Egyptians strongly believed in an eternal after life, and hence, the deceased were supplied with all their valuable possessions that they might need in after life to re-live an eternal life, enjoying it with their beloved belongings. The body of the deceased was preserved through a process known as mummification, which began in the 4th Dynasty. In that process the brain was immediately removed to stop the body’s decay, in addition to the liver, lungs and stomach. The organs were then placed in a jar, known as the Canopic Jar, which was buried along side the coffin in the tomb. The body solely retained the heart, as ancient Egyptians believed that it was to be weighed once someone dies to calculate the person’s deeds. The last two steps in the mummification process was heaping the body with baking soda for forty days-to remove fat- then finally, the body was washed and wrapped in linen to be placed in a sarcophagus to be put in the burial chamber of the tomb.

Regardless of the New Kingdom’s cunning strategy to hide the royal tombs in the barren hills of Thebes from robbers, every burial chamber was raided leaving behind no priceless possessions except for Tutankhamun (Tutankhamen)’s and those of Tuya and Yuya.

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