Tutankhamun's Treasures - Pg 3
Tutankhamun was only nine or ten
years old when he became pharaoh. He reigned for approximately
ten years, making him nineteen years old at death. In
historical terms, Tutankhamun significance stems from
his rejection of the radical religious innovations introduced
by his predecessor Akenhaten (aka "the heretic king"),
who worshipped only the Aten (the sun). Tutankhamun returned
Egypt to the old gods and re-established the power of
the Priests of Amun-Ra.
Tutankhamun's tomb, in the Valley
of the Kings, was discovered almost completely intact
-- the most complete ancient Egyptian tomb ever found.
As Tutankhamun began his reign at such an early age,
his vizier and eventual successor Ay was probably making
most of the important political decisions during Tutankhamun's
reign.
The 1922 discovery by Howard Carter
of Tutankhamun received worldwide press coverage and
sparked a renewed public interest in ancient Egypt, for
which Tutankhamun's burial mask remains the popular face.
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