Tutankhamun (alternately spelled with Tutenkh-, -amen, -amon; approx.
1341 BCE – 1323 BCE) is an Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty (ruled c. 1333 BCE – 1323 BCE in the conventional chronology), during the period of Egyptian history known as the New Kingdom.
His original name, Tutankhaten, means "Living Image of Aten", while Tutankhamun means "Living Image of Amun".
In hieroglyphs, the name Tutankhamun was typically written Amen-tut-ankh, because of a scribal custom that placed a divine name at the beginning of a phrase to show appropriate reverence.
He is possibly also the Nibhurrereya of the Amarna letters, and likely the 18th dynasty king 'Rathotis' who, according to Manetho, an ancient historian, had reigned for nine years — a figure which conforms with Flavius Josephus's version of Manetho's Epitome.
The 1922 discovery by Howard Carter and George Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon, of Tutankhamun's nearly intact tomb received worldwide press coverage.
It sparked a renewed public interest in ancient Egypt, for which Tutankhamun's burial mask remains the popular symbol.
Exhibits of artifacts from his tomb have toured the world.
In February 2010, the results of DNA tests confirmed that he was the son of Akhenaten (mummy KV55) and his sister/wife (mummy KV35YL), whose name is unknown but whose remains are positively identified as "The Younger Lady" mummy found in KV35.
