Tuesday, March 22, 2011

The Mummy of Queen Tiye

The Kings Wife Tiye was the wife of King Amenhotep III ca 1350bc and the mother of Amenhotep IV, the heretic Akhenaten. She and Amenhotep historically were probably only children when married and if the record is accurate she probably outlived her husband as she visited her son's capital of Akhetaten.

Her mummy was found in the Valley of the Kings at the end of the 19th century by Victor Loret in a side chamber in the tomb of Amenhotep II (Kv35). Recent DNA studies have proven the long suspected identity of this mummy much to her benefit both her mother and father were also part of the study.

In the side chamber of the tomb, she was in the presence of another female mummy who the recent DNA studies have shown to probably have been her daughter and the mother of King Tutankhamun. Still, further research has found she has a flattened wart on her face.

No comments: