| Smenkhkare Human Mummy | |
| |
| Biographical Information | |
|---|---|
| Name(s) | Ankhkheperure Smenkhkare Djeser Kheperu |
| Age | Possibly 18-25 |
| Sex | Male |
| Status | Deceased |
| Height | N/A |
| Source | |
| Culture | Ancient Egypt |
| Date(s) | 1400 BCE - 1301 BCE (Timeframe) |
| Site | Tundetermined |
| Current Location | |
| Location | Egypt |
| Catalog # | N/A |
The first reference to Smenkhare was found in the tomb of Meryre II; he appears with his wife, Merytaten the daughter of Akhenaten and Nefertiti, offering rewards to Meryre. The names of the king were later cut out but the text was once recorded by Lepsius. Later, a calcite vase was found in the tomb of Tutankhamun which had incised the double cartouche of Akhenaten alongside the double cartouche of Smenkhare, confirming his position.
There is also an uninscribed limestone picture of an Amarna couple thought to be Smenkhare and Merytaten (although some claim it is Tutankhamun and Ankhesenamun).
Smenkhare was Pharaoh during the late 18th Dynasty for a very short time. He only appeared in the record near the end of Akhenaton’s reign.
The pharaoh's identity and origin are controversial. Numerous unsubstantiated theories speculate who he might have been, including the idea that Smenkhare might have been the wife of Akhenaton, Nefertiti. Those who believe this theory speculate that Akhenaton simply wanted to give his wife kingly status through the persona of "Smenkhkare." Other scholars believe that the young pharaoh was actually Tutankhamen’s brother, based on evidence found within the tomb. To complicate the situation further, in the tomb of Akhenaton, Smenkhare is depicted alongside Meritaton, the eldest daughter of Akhenaton.
Mummification[]
Archaeologist Edward Ayrton discovered a mysterious tomb in the Valley of Kings, Egypt during 1907 later called KV55. Inside the tomb was a single body, as well as various artifacts. While the identity of the KV55 mummy is still in question, some evidence suggests that the mummy belongs to Smenkhkare.
Most think that KV55 was, in fact, used for the reburial of a mummy and funerary equipment that had originally been interred in a royal tomb or tombs at El-Amarna. Unfortunately, it is impossible to determine which of the many names found on the objects in the tomb belonged to the remains found in the gilded wooden coffin.
Linguist Sir Alan Gardiner argued that the titles showed that the coffin had been made for Akhenaten. Other scholars, however, have noted that the inscriptions were altered at some point, and it has been suggested that the coffin’s occupant might not be its original owner.
Studies[]
A great deal of study has been conducted on the KV55 mummy. A cranial and serological analyses have lead scientists to conclude that the mummy was closely related to Tutankhamen.
The bones belong to a male, with an elongated skull. This trait is found in artistic representations of Akhenaten and his family, and can also be seen in the mummy of Tutankhamun, who may have been Akhenaten’s son. In addition, the KV55 mummy shares a blood type with Tut; studies have indicated that the remains from the Amarna Cache belonged to an individual closely related to Tutankhamun. Most previous forensic studies have concluded that the skeleton belonged to a man who died in his early 20s, or at the latest about 35. Historical sources indicate that Akhenaten must have been well over 30 at his death. The majority of Egyptologists, therefore, are inclined to believe that the KV55 mummy is that of Smenkhare, likely father, son, or brother to Tutankhamun.
Additional[]
The contents in KV55 are interesting; wooden panels from a shrine that protected the sarcophagus of Queen Tiye were found there. Also, found within the tomb, were small clay seals with the name of Tiye’s husband and that of Tutankhamun. They also found four mud bricks within KV55 that had the name “Akhenaten” inscribed. Other artifacts found include glass jars, vessels of stone, and pottery.
References[]
Encyclopædia Britannica. (2010, March 25). Smenkhkare. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Smenkhkare
Ancient Egypt online. (2016). Smenkhare. Retrieved from http://www.ancientegyptonline.co.uk/smenkhare.html
Hawass, Z. (n.d.). Mystery of the Mummy from KV55. Retrieved from http://www.guardians.net/hawass/articles/Mystery%20of%20the%20Mummy%20from%20KV55.htm
Cyberlinks. (n.d.). Smenkhkare. Retrieved from http://www.crystalinks.com/Smenkhkare.html