Tutankhamun

Tutankhamun (alternate transcription Tutankhamen), named Tutankhaten early in his life, was Pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt (ruled 1334 BC/1333 BC – 1323 BC, lived ca. 1341 BC – 1323 BC), during the period known as the New Kingdom. His original name, Tutankhaten, meant "Living Image of Aten", while Tutankhamun meant "Living Image of Amun". He is possibly also the Nibhurrereya of the Amarna letters.

Notes

• {{NamedNote|shawabti|3}} Some of the artifacts unearthed at KV62, such as shawabti figurines and two life-size guardian statues protecting the main burial chamber, do show Tutankhamun as completely jet-black, save for gold highlights around his eyes and on his head.. To the non-professional these may cause confusion, interpreted wrongly as accurate gauges of Tutankhamun's complexion. In fact, these figures represent the king on his voyage through the pitch darkness of the underworld -- a significant afterlife ritual.http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0345273494?v=glance

As quoted at the Egyptian State Information Service website,

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" chamber was guarded by two black sentry-statues that represent the royal ka (soul) and symbolize the hope of rebirth -- the qualities of Osiris, who was reborn after he died."http://www.sis.gov.eg/eyes/mysteries%20of%20egypt/html/Tutankhamun's%20tomb.htm

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And in Howard Carter's own words, The Discovery of the Tomb of Tutankhamen:

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"Next, omitting some small unimportant objects, we came to the end (north) wall of the chamber. Here was the tantalizing sealed doorway, and on either side of it, mounting guard over the entrance, stood the life-size wooden statues of the king." (pg. 112).http://touregypt.net/museum/lifetutpage.htm

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