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Tutankhamun Facts & Worksheets

Tutankhamun was an Egyptian pharaoh during the New Kingdom. Since the discovery of his intact tomb, he has been referred to colloquially as King Tut.

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King Tutankhamun became widely known when his tomb was discovered containing a sarcophagus with his mummy together with thousands of artifacts and a headdress that later on became famous. The discovery of his tomb captivated scientists and students, elevating him to the designation of the world’s most popular Egyptian king.

See the fact file below for more information on Tutankhamun or alternatively, you can download our 26-page Tutankhamun worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Tutankhamun

  • His name, sometimes spelled as Tutankhamen, means “living image of Aten.” His father had ordered the Egyptians to worship Aten, the sun deity.
  • When his father, Akhenaten, died when he was nine years old, he ascended to the throne. He was dubbed King Tut and was assisted by advisers who overturned most of his father’s rulings.
  • People speculated that his tomb could lead to hidden chambers containing the remains of his mother, Queen Nefertiti. However, radar testing disproved this theory.
  • His tomb appeared smaller than usual and had gone unnoticed for many years. The materials discovered inside his tomb gave modern people a better understanding of life in ancient Egypt.

Early Life

  • He was born Tutankhaten during the late Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt.
  • His father’s reign was marked by a religious shift from polytheism to Atenism, as well as the establishment of Amarna as the capital.
  • When his father died, his co-regent reigned for a while.

Reign

  • He was about nine years old when he ascended to the throne from his father’s co-regent and became pharaoh.
  • Egypt had two Viziers during his reign, a position similar to the modern prime minister. Usermontu was the principal vizier of Upper Egypt, while Pentju was the other.
  • When he started his reign, the country was economically weak and in turmoil due to the reign of Akhenaten. He wished to re-establish previously abandoned diplomatic relations, particularly with Mitanni.
  • Gifts from various countries were discovered in his tomb, indicating his success in restoring diplomatic relations. Nonetheless, he had to contend with Nubians and Asiatics.
  • Because of his youth, he needed the advice of Ay and General Horemheb. Horemheb was appointed as a hereditary prince to uphold the rule of law.
  • During his third year as king, he made significant changes in Egypt, almost entirely overturning the rules put in place during his father’s reign. He restored people’s worship of Amun, and priests re-granted their privileges. Thebes was reinstated as Egypt’s capital.
  • He also oversaw the construction of Karnak in Thebes, where a sphinx marked the path to Mut’s temple. New Amun cult images were also created, and Egyptians reintroduced the Apis Bull, Horemakhet, and Opet festivals.

Death

  • His reign ended around ten years after he died. 
  • In 1968, an x-ray conducted on his skull showed two bone fragments, resulting in a theory that a murderer killed him by a blow to his head, but it was disproved by further analysis.
  • Another theory stated that the young king was killed in an accident while he was in his chariot because his bones had patterns of crushing injuries and the front part of his chest wall and ribs were missing, but it was also disproved because the missing parts were present when photographs were taken after it was excavated.
  • Digital imaging and DNA testing conducted about a century after his tomb was discovered suggested that malaria or other forms of infection killed him.

Tomb

First Excavation of the Valley of Kings

  • His tomb was far too small for a king of his stature. It was speculated that he died and had to be buried even before his grander royal tomb was finished.
  • Since 1905, Theodore Davis has held the concession rights for excavating the Valley of Kings. Ten tombs were discovered, but nothing of major significance was found. Davis discovered his name in the knobs and handles but could not locate the tomb.
  • Howard Carter joined the excavation in 1907 at the request of the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, George Herbert. When Davis gave up on finding more significant artifacts, they hoped to have the concession rights, but Davis continued the excavation for the next seven years.
  • His tomb had gold-covered walls, and his coffin was made up of three sarcophagi, the outer part of which was made of red quartzite and the inner part of which was made of 110 kilograms of solid gold.

Carter’s Discovery

  • Carter began his search for artifacts in 1915.
  • Carter discovered his tomb in November 1922, and fortunately, it has survived to the present day.
  • Its location was lost when the entrance to the tomb of King Ramesses V, who died 178 years after him, was constructed. The debris filled the entrance to his tomb.
  • Hussein Abdel-Rassoul, one of those digging through the location pointed out by Carter, discovered the stairs down to his tomb.
  • The antechamber had been cleared of everything aside from two sentinel statues by February 1923. Lord Carnarvon, Egyptian officials, museum representatives, and the Government Press Bureau were among the twenty people appointed as witnesses to the unsealing of the tomb, which happened on February 17, 1923.
  • Around 5,400 items were found in the tomb. These include a gold coffin, thrones, dagger, archery bows, a lotus chalice, and two Imiut fetishes. The catalog of the discovered items took Carter 10 years to finish.

Exhibit and Conservation

  • On November 4, 2007, his mummy was displayed in his underground tomb in Luxor.
  • The tomb was closed to tourists in 2009 after the Ministry of Antiquities reached an agreement with the Getty Conservation Institute to restore it.
  • The tomb was reopened in February 2019.

Rumored Curse

  • For several years, people believed that those who would enter the tomb of the pharaohs would meet an early death. This rumor was probably fueled by the newspaper publishers for the sake of their sales, especially when the tomb was first discovered.
  • George Herbert was reported dead five months after the discovery of the first step of the stairs leading down to the tomb. It confirmed the curse for some people even though the death was caused by pneumonia.
  • Research showed that only 8 of the 58 people who were present when the tomb and sarcophagus were first opened died in the next twelve years. This included the discoverer himself, Howard Carter, who died in 1939 from lymphoma.

Legacy

  • His well-preserved tomb, which was exhibited globally, and the discovered artifacts associated with him contributed to his global popularity.
  • He was commented as “one of the least admired” by Jon Manchip White in his foreword to the 2977 edition of the book The Discovery of the Tomb of Tutankhamun by Carter. This is most likely due to the appearance of his tomb, which does not appear to be that of a king.
  • Various products, businesses, and even US President Herbert Hoover‘s pet dog were named after the modern neologism of his name, “King Tut.”
  • The Treasures of Tutankhamun exhibition toured the United States in 1978, and comedian Steve Martin wrote the novelty song King Tut, which sold over a million copies.
  • During the spring of 2022 in North America, his remains and the artifacts discovered with him were exhibited to commemorate the 100th anniversary of what was considered one of the greatest archaeological discoveries. It was called Beyond King Tut: The Immersive Experience and toured North America.

Tutankhamun Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Tutankhamun across 26 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Tutankhamun worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about  Tutankhamun, who was an Egyptian pharaoh during the New Kingdom. Since the discovery of his intact tomb, he has been referred to colloquially as King Tut.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Tutankhamun Facts
  • All About the Boy King
  • The Golden Mask
  • Egyptian Facts
  • Word Hunt
  • Fill it in
  • Treasures
  • Think! Think! Think!
  • Hidden Items
  • Discovering Tutankhamun
  • Identification

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was Tutankhamun so famous?

King Tutankhamun became widely known when his tomb was discovered containing a sarcophagus with his mummy together with thousands of artifacts and a headdress that later on became famous. 

How did Tutankhamun die?

His reign ended after around ten years when he died. Digital imaging and DNA testing conducted about a century after his tomb was discovered suggested that malaria or other forms of infection killed him.

Why is Tutankhamun the most famous king?

The discovery of his tomb captivated scientists and students, elevating him to the designation of the world’s most popular Egyptian king.

Where is Tutankhamun now 2022?

During the spring of 2022 in North America, his remains and the artifacts discovered with him were exhibited to commemorate the 100th anniversary of what was considered one of the greatest archaeological discoveries. It was called Beyond King Tut: The Immersive Experience and toured North America.

How much gold was in King Tut’s tomb?

His tomb had gold-covered walls, and his coffin was made up of three sarcophagi, the outer part of which was made of red quartzite and the inner part of which was made of 110 kilograms of solid gold.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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