Tutankhamun

The results of DNA tests made on the world’s most famous Egyptian king, Pharaoh Tutankhamun, will soon be published, revealing answers to mysteries about his lineage. “Speaking at a conference, archaeology chief Zahi Hawass said he would announce the results of the DNA tests and the CAT scans on February 17. The results will be compared to those made of King Amenhotep III, who may have been Tutankamun’s grandfather. The effort is part of a wider program to check the DNA of hundreds of mummies to determine their identities and family relations. The programme could help determine Tutankhamun’s family lineage, which has long been a source of mystery. The identity of Tut’s parents is not firmly known. Many experts believe he is the son of Akhenaten, the 18th Dynasty pharaoh who tried to introduce monotheism to ancient Egypt almost 3,500 years ago, and one of Akhenaten’s queens, Kiya. But others have suggested he was the son of a lesser known pharaoh who followed Akhenaten.”