Tutankhamun

Tutankhamun, also called King Tut, was a pharaoh of ancient Egypt. He became king when he was very young, about nine or ten years old! His job was to help bring back the old ways of the ancient Egyptian religion. He wanted everyone to worship many gods again, especially the god Amun.

Tutankhamun moved the royal court back to the city of Memphis. He ruled for about nine years and died when he was eighteen. After he passed away, another man named Ay became king, and later Horemheb took over.

In 1922, a team led by Howard Carter made an amazing discovery—they found Tutankhamun's tomb! Inside, they found many beautiful items, even though some treasure was missing. There were over 5,000 artifacts, including clothes, chairs, and bows. The most famous item is Tutankhamun's mask, which is kept in a museum today. This discovery made people very excited to learn about ancient Egypt.

Tutankhamun was born when Akhenaten ruled. His birth name was Tutankhaten, meaning "living image of Aten." We do not know who his parents were, but he was a prince. He might have been the son of Akhenaten or his co-ruler Smenkhkare. When he became king, Tutankhamun married Ankhesenpaaten, one of Akhenaten's daughters, who later changed her name to Ankhesenamun.

Tutankhamun's tomb is very special because it was found almost exactly as it was left. Inside were many items that help us learn about life in ancient Egypt. His treasures have traveled all over the world, and many people have seen them. Exhibitions of Tutankhamun's artifacts began in 1962 and have been shown in many countries. Even today, his treasures still attract visitors from everywhere.

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