Remains of boxes and their contents: At least two badly preserved boxes were found in the south-eastern corner of the room, their contents spread on the floor. YouTube channel JudeMaris has reconstructed the face of Ramesses II at his prime, taking into account the aforementioned characteristics – and the video is presented above. 175 (2000) However, in terms of history, it is a well-known fact that Cleopatra or Cleopatra VII Philopator (Romanized: Kleopátrā Philopátōr), born in 69 BC, was of (mostly) Greek ethnicity. This tomb was later desecrated, likely during the Ramesside period. Bell also suggested that the moisture under the mummy might have resulted from rainfall shortly after the tomb's opening in 1907. Akhenaten in inlay is close to the reality Support for this comes from his three portraits as shown below. By this time, Akhenaten was reviled as the "heretic king"; consequently, Queen Tiye's sarcophagus was hastily removed from his defiling presence, except for its surrounding gilded wooden shrine, which would have had to be dismantled for removal. The deposit as it was found in KV55 presents a mixture of chronological and religious anomalies. After the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun a close resemblance was noted between his mummy and the body found in KV55 and later tests showed both shared the same blood-group (A2) and serum antigen (MN), all of which suggests Tutankhamun and the individual found in KV55 were closely related to each other,[53] either as father and son, or brothers. Other damage to wooden objects might result from an insect attack. Bulletin de Liaison de La Ceramique Egyptienne 23, Institute Francais Creasman, ed., University of Arizona, It is nevertheless highly unlikely that either of these two burials within KV55 was original. The researchers then went on to determine the gender of the mummy (head) by analyzing the bone-structure of the specimen. Other objects inscribed with her name (such as the piece of furniture) and with those of Amenhotep III are also seen as belonging to her funerary equipment. The skull shows some elongation, but the nose and chin are normal. [11][12], In 1921, while excavating south of the tomb, Howard Carter discovered several items that seem to have originated in KV55. Discover (and save!) But does historicity really comply with these popular notions about the famous female Egyptian pharaoh, who had her roots in a Greek dynasty? "Ancestry and Pathology in King Tutankhamun's Family", Strouhal, E. "Biological age of skeletonized mummy from Tomb KV 55 at Thebes" in, Duhig, Corinne. And while the animation will undoubtedly confuse many a reader and history enthusiast, actual written records of Cleopatra vary in their tone from a profusion of appreciation (like Cassius Dio’s account) to practical assessments (like Plutarch’s account). “Nefertiti was Akhenaten's cousin, both by paternal and maternal ancestry and is identical to the mummy … [44] It is also recognized that the four canopic jars discovered near the coffin belonged to Kiya, and that the female heads on the stoppers of the jars portray her. [39], The orderly arrangement of the shrine parts inside the tomb seems to indicate that it once stood up, fully assembled, with its doors facing south, and that it was later dismantled inside the tomb. [43] It is now widely accepted that the coffin was originally intended for Akhenaten's secondary wife Kiya. The Silk Road is the most famous ancient trade route, linking the major ancient civilizations of China and the Roman Empire. Fortunately for us history enthusiasts, in spite of such rigorous actions, some fragments of Nefertiti’s historical legacy survived through various extant portrayals, with the most famous one pertaining to her bust made by Thutmose in circa 1345 BC. [35] From inscriptional evidence on the KV55 shrine on the other hand, it seems likely that Tiye was buried at Amarna by her son Akhenaten. Joann Fletcher continued the search for Nefertiti and in 2004, she presented her theory based on portable x‐ray, forensic face reconstruction and resemblance between art and mummy (Fletcher, 2004). Louis XVI was beheaded in 1793, and King Henry IV of France had his long-dead head removed, as revolutionaries desecrated as many royal tombs as they could find. Even beyond ancient accounts, there are extant pieces of evidence of Cleopatra portraiture to consider. [48] The fact that all four bricks were oriented correctly and that three of them were positioned in close association with the coffin suggests that they were intended as a set and were made for the coffin's final occupant,[49] who therefore, would be Akhenaten. In the study, the mummy known as KV55 - most likely the "heretic" Akhenaten - and KV35YL, also known as the Younger Lady, were identified as siblings, as well as King Tut's parents. As for his reconstruction scope, after 67 years of long and undisputed reign, Ramesses II, who already outlived many of his wives and sons, breathed his last in circa 1213 BC, probably at the age of 90. [37], The presence of a shrine dedicated to Tiye is usually seen as evidence that Tiye's mummy once reposed inside the shrine in KV55. Interestingly enough, while his mummified remains were originally interred at the Valley of the Kings, they were later shifted to the mortuary complex at Deir el-Bahari (part of the Theban necropolis), so as to prevent the tomb from being looted by the ancient robbers. Akhenaten: Egypt's False Prophet. Interestingly enough, while Nebiri’s tomb was desecrated in the ancient times, his head is often viewed as a good example of ‘perfect packing’ in the ancient Egyptian times, according to a paper published in the journal Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology. However, it must be kept in mind that there is no good evidence that we are necessarily dealing with a literal representation of Akhenaten's physical form, or that of his wife or children. Despite leaving the sarcophagus behind, Akhenaten's mummy was removed from the royal tombs after Tutankhamun abandoned Akhetaten and returned to Thebes. Ramesses II (also called Ramses, Ancient Egyptian: rꜥ-ms-sw or riʕmīsisu, meaning ‘Ra is the one who bore him’) is considered as one of the most powerful and influential ancient Egyptian Pharaohs – known for both his military and domestic achievements during the New Kingdom era. The tomb was first entered on 9 January by Ayrton, Davis, Joseph Lindon Smith, and (as the representative of the antiquities service) Arthur Weigall. It dates to year 16 of the king's reign and is also the last dated inscription naming the king. [11] As possible reasons for this initial identification the (typical female) position of the mummy's arms,[50] post-mortem damage to the pelvic bones[51] and the absence of male genitalia[24] have been suggested. The mummy found in the tomb was however at first identified as belonging to a woman by two visiting physicians who examined the remains in situ. But when anatomist Grafton Elliot Smith examined the skull and bones in Cairo a few months later he concluded that they were those of a young male, with wide hips, a pendent chin, and distorted cranium brought on by chronic hydrocephalus. [18], The tomb is accessed by a flight of 20 steps, cut into the bedrock and covered by an overhanging rock. Using state-of-the-art technology, a team of scientists at the University of Bristol in England partnered with … Ludwig has taken a shot at recreating the facial features of the famed Queen Nefertiti with the aid of photoshop (presented above). [7][8][9] In fact, the original 2010 paper only cites a single point of spinal degeneration, while other analyses, such as Strouhal's[2] cite multiple indicators for a younger age. On the other hand, mummies from the Valley of the Kings have been identified only tentatively as Akhenaten … On the other hand, the identity of Cleopatra’s grandmother and mother is still unknown to historians. Until Akhenaten's mummy is located and identified, proposals of actual physical abnormalities are likely to remain speculative. This page was last edited on 7 February 2021, at 02:47. On the other hand, honey (known to Egyptians before Greek influence) could have also played its role in causing tooth decay. Tutankhamun (‘the living image of Amun’), also known by his original name Tutankhaten (‘the living image of Aten’) was a pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty –  who only ruled for around a decade from circa 1332-1323 BC. Included are a vase stand, fragment of furniture, a silver head of a goose, pall-discs of gilded copper, and a statue plinth. While its identity hasn't been fully determined, many believe that the remains belong to Queen Nefertiti, Akhenaten's Great Royal Wife. Guided by the relative smallness of the jaw (and its angle), along with the narrowness of the roof of the mouth, the team found out that they were dealing with an Ancient Egyptian female; later confirmed by anthropologist Professor Caroline Wilkinson, who is famous for heading the reconstruction of King Richard III. Social media reaction to what many describe as European features on a reconstruction of a mummy believed to be Egyptian Queen Nefertiti has led to accusations of historical “white washing.” A team of scientists at the University of Bristol in England digitally mapped the face of a mummy known as "The Younger Lady." It is also clear that the tomb was re-entered at a later time, almost certainly during the twentieth dynasty. [30] The decoration, which appears to have been very similar on all sides of the shrine, features Akhenaten and Tiye making offerings to the Aten, with a focus on the king rather than his mother. The facial reconstruction sculpture of the 3,400-year-old mummy of King Tut’s biological mother, nicknamed the “Younger Lady,” as seen on Travel Channel’s ‘Expedition Unknown.' [27] The "cemented" chips and stains in the corridor indicate that water entered the tomb along the corridor ceiling, but the amount of water might not have been great, and most damage could have been caused by increased humidity rather than direct contact with water. [65] However, a finely made vulture pectoral—a symbol of royalty in Ancient Egypt—was still found placed around this mummy's head. Possible reign as Pharaoh. All images and videos are copyrighted to their respective owners. Akhenaten 1380 BC - 1336 BC Facial Reconstruction, Curtis Durane Akhenaten, known before the fifth year of his reign as Amenhotep IV, was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty, who ruled for 17 years and died perhaps in 1336 BC or 1334 BC 2013, Lyla Pinch Brock, "Shooting in KV55; New Light on Early Photography", Such a plan seems to indicate that KV55, like KV62, was initially intended as a private burial site and only later taken over for a royal interment. [4][5][6] In any case, the team made a CT scan and found that the skull was in genuinely well-preserved condition, thus initiating the first steps towards a reconstruction process. In fact, a CT scan has already revealed how the mummified head was preserved with the help of linen bandages that were carefully inserted in the nasal area, eyes and the mouth. We know a surprising amount about the date of his death and the way he was buried. This possibility is also suggested by mason's marks found on the walls by the tomb entrance. The 3D CT scans of the actual mummy of the young Pharaoh yielded a whopping 1,700 digital cross-sectional images, and these were then utilized for state-of-the-art forensic techniques usually reserved for high-profile violent crime cases. The presence of copper rosettes indicate that a funeral pall was draped on a frame associated with the shrine, also comparable to Tutankhamun's shrines. A 3d reconstruction of the ancient Egyptian city of Akhetaten now known as Tel el Amarna in Egypt. Taking this into consideration, let us take a gander at six facial reconstructions of ancient Egyptians, from the period between circa 15th century BC to the 1st century BC. Because Weigall described these consecutive blockings in ambiguous terms, it is unclear whether the secondary wall was found intact or had already been partially dismantled, like the primary wall. The archaeological, inscriptional, and now genetic evidence indicate that the ancient Egyptians who buried (and later desecrated) the body in KV55 believed this to be Akhenaten's. Akhenaten's likeness was chiseled off the shrine's carved relief. Silk was traded from China to the Roman Empire starting in the first century BCE, in exchange for wool, silver, and gold coming from Europe. According to Hawass –. Arizona, NM, pp. Born in circa 1303 BC (or 1302 BC), as the royal member of the Nineteenth Dynasty, he ascended the throne in 1279 BC and reigned for 67 years. Talking about depictions, reconstruction specialist M.A. [42] The identity of the coffin's original owner has been a matter of much discussion over the years, with Tiye, Nefertiti, Meketaten, and Meritaten all proposed as candidates. Before February 2010, it was pointed out that the reliability of methods to assess the age of death for mummies in general was uncertain. The bust with its bevy of intricate facial features favorably depicts the ancient Egyptian Queen Nefertiti, possibly at the age of 25. Oriented almost due east, its entrance way consists of a set of stairs cut into the valley bedrock that leads to a gently sloping corridor and then to the single chamber of the tomb.