King Tutankhamun (now popularly referred to as “King Tut”) was born in 1343 B.C.E. in Egypt, which was already an established civilization with a long history of Pharaonic rule. The civilization relied on agriculture, and although the region was arid, rich farmland existed on either side of the Nile River. The river also allowed trade to flourish between Egyptian cities, and massive stones were also quarried and then transported to various sites to support the construction of statues, monuments, and pyramids. Egyptians also engaged in trade with other civilizations. Ancient Memphis had a population of over one million people.

King Tut’s father was likely Amenhotep IV. King Tut married another of Amenhotep IV’s children, Ankhesenamun, when he was 10. Soon afterward, he became pharaoh upon the death of his father.

Amenhotep IV had a long head and large hips, and modern historians believe that he might have been suffering from a genetic condition. His wife, Nefertiti, was famously beautiful.

The Egyptians worshiped a pantheon of gods, some of whom had a human form, while others were depicted as animals or featured a combination of human and animal characteristics. Some of the more prominent gods of the Egyptian pantheon include Thoth (the god of wisdom), Anubis (the god of death), Isis (the goddess of magic, fertility and love), Osiris (the god of the underworld), and Amun-Ra (the god of the sun).