King Tut Wasn’t a Very Important PharaohTutankhamun is perhaps that most famous ancient Egyptian pha

King Tut Wasn’t a Very Important PharaohTutankhamun is perhaps that most famous ancient Egyptian pharaoh, a household name due to National Geographic, Discover Channel, and History Channel specials. Ask any common person to name off ancient Egyptian kings and most will able to name Cleopatra and King Tut, some might be able to name Ramses.  Ask anyone why King Tut is important, 99% of people probably couldn’t give you an answer. The funny thing is Tutankamun wasn’t really an important pharaoh in Egyptian history. Read any biography on him or look at his Wikipedia page and there isn’t much about his life. Most of what is written about him is modern information from well after he was dead.  What did he do during his reign? Not much. He was the son of a pharaoh famous to historians named Akhenaten, but just because his daddy was important doesn’t mean he was important.  His reign lasted 9 years and he was only 17 when he died.  For most of his reign he probably didn’t actually rule. Most of the governing of Egypt was probably done by regents, ministers, and advisers. He made changes to religious practices, reversing his father’s radical religious policies. He moved the capital. He did a little bit of diplomacy. He won a few battles that most likely he was not actually present for. Blah blah blah he did some stuff nobody cares about or remembers anymore.  King Tut was no Caesar, Napoleon, or Alexander the Great.  He didn’t do anything that really makes him noteworthy that survives the test of time. So why is it that he isn’t like the scores of Egyptian pharaohs whose wikipedia pages consist of little more than a short paragraph? Why is he a household name today?The reason for Tutankamun’s modern fame has nothing to do with his life, rather his fame is a result of his afterlife. In 1922 British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered King Tut’s tomb. The rare and amazing thing about his tomb was that for the most part it was left untouched and intact.  In fact it’s the best preserved tomb discovered in the Valley of the Kings. Most ancient Egyptian tombs have been raided and ransacked millennia ago. That’s why the ancient Egyptians stopped building pyramids and shifted to well hidden underground tombs. A giant pyramid is just a big advertisement for tomb robbers that screams, “Hey! Over here! This is my tomb and it’s filled with gold and jewels! Come rob it!” The discovery of King Tut’s tomb was a major score for Egyptology, as it was complete with intact carvings, hieroglyphics, wall paintings, and over 5,000 items including precious gold, silver, and bejeweled treasures.  From this Egyptologists have been able to disseminate a treasure trove of knowledge about ancient Egyptian culture, religion, and history. Plus, when after thousands of years your tomb is discovered filled to the brim with swag with your corpse covered in bling, people will think you are pretty dope! And that’s why King Tut is famous today. -- source link
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