The tomb of Tutankhamun (c. 1345–1323 BCE; reign c. 1332–1323 BCE), located in the Valley of the Kings, offers a rare and largely intact snapshot of royal burial practice during Egypt’s New Kingdom (c. 1550–1070 BCE). Although Tutankhamun’s reign fell within the late 18th Dynasty and followed the religious upheavals of the Amarna period, his relatively modest political role contrasts sharply with the global impact of his tomb’s discovery. The layout, comprising an antechamber, annex, burial chamber, and treasury, reflects both continuity in royal funerary tradition and the constraints of a hastily prepared burial, likely due to his unexpected death.
Tutankhamun ascended the throne as a child (c. 1332 BCE) and ruled for approximately a decade, restoring traditional religious practices after the reforms of his father, Akhenaten, (reign c. 1353–1336 BCE). His cause of death remains debated, with medical analyses suggesting a combination of illness, genetic vulnerability, and possible injury rather than assassination. The tomb (KV62), discovered in 1922 by British archaeologist Howard Carter, contained over 5,000 artifacts, including the iconic gold funerary mask. Its extraordinary preservation has provided unparalleled evidence for New Kingdom craftsmanship, royal ideology, and mortuary ritual, reshaping modern understanding of ancient Egyptian kingship and burial culture.
About the Author
Related Images
Map of the New Kingdom of Egypt c. 1250 BCE
Map of the New Kingdom of Egypt, 1450 BCE
Map of the Middle Kingdom of Egypt, c. 2000 BCE
Egyptian Pharaoh Relief from the 12th Dynasty
Head of Tutankhamun
Antechamber of Tutankhamun's Tomb
Cite This Work
APA Style
Netchev, S. (2026, March 02). The Tomb of Tutankhamun (KV62), Thebes, c. 1323 BCE: The Boy King and the Tomb That Rewrote Egyptology. World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/16740/the-tomb-of-tutankhamun-kv62-thebes-c-1323-bce/
Chicago Style
Netchev, Simeon. "The Tomb of Tutankhamun (KV62), Thebes, c. 1323 BCE: The Boy King and the Tomb That Rewrote Egyptology." World History Encyclopedia, March 02, 2026. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/16740/the-tomb-of-tutankhamun-kv62-thebes-c-1323-bce/.
MLA Style
Netchev, Simeon. "The Tomb of Tutankhamun (KV62), Thebes, c. 1323 BCE: The Boy King and the Tomb That Rewrote Egyptology." World History Encyclopedia, 02 Mar 2026, https://www.worldhistory.org/image/16740/the-tomb-of-tutankhamun-kv62-thebes-c-1323-bce/.
