Tutankhamun, King of Egypt: His Life and Afterlife

Aidan Dodson continues his pharaonic series with a volume on Tutankhamun “offered unapologetically” as an addition to the numerous books released or reprinted in time for the centenary. The book follows the format of his previous volumes (introduction to the period, birth, reign, death and aftermath, mortuary temple and tomb, limbo, and resurrection), although of course Tutankhamun has a far more interesting ‘resurrection’ than other pharaohs.

Dodson immediately runs into a tangle of possibilities for the parentage of the young king. With so many conflicting theories, the author is up-front about his standpoint, but offers what he hopes is a balanced interpretation of the evidence (including the contentious 2010 DNA investigations). Dodson believes the most likely scenario sees Tutankhamun as the son of Akhenaten and Nefertiti – who were themselves first cousins. He also attempts to unravel the confusion surrounding the period between the death of Akhenaten and accession of Tutankhaten/Tutankhamun, the identity of Smenkhkara and the possible role played by Nefertiti (a debate also covered in his previous volume on Nefertiti’s ‘life and afterlife’ (see AE 124).

Following chapters detail the achievements of Tutankhamun’s ten-year reign and those of his leading courtiers – in particular Ay and Horemheb – including the move from Amarna, decommissioning of Aten structures, and the restoration of Amun. The expansion of Hittite power at this time was the main focus of Tutankhamun’s foreign policy, with possible campaigns in Syria (and also Nubia) suggested by scenes on surviving block fragments found at Luxor. While such military campaigns were most likely led by General Horemheb, Dodson believes there is “no obvious reason” why Tutankhamun could not have taken part himself.