To call King Tut’s genealogy complicated might be one of the biggest understatements in Egyptology. For example, Queen Nefertiti, once thought to be Tutankhamun’s birth mother, was actually his stepmother, as well as his mother-in-law. His parents were siblings and Tut’s wife may have also been his half-sister.
Tut has fueled fascination ever since archeologists discovered his tomb in 1922. Although the Valley of the Kings burial place held over 5,000 artifacts, much of his heritage remained a mystery.
His parentage was unclear and there was little solid evidence to tie him to relatives. That changed somewhat in 2010 when a group of scientists published DNA tests from many mummies linked to Tut — including that of the Boy King himself.
Although the study cleared up some confusion, the work raised other questions. While the DNA evidence from mummies is strong, it is not perfect. The samples extracted from the mummies for genetic testing were fragile, and thus, not completely reliable. Artifacts from tombs, as well as inscriptions, engravings, and paintings help, but can prove more circumstantial than conclusive.
Here’s what we know about Tut’s lineage, how we know it, and how certain we can be.
