The Egyptian Museum in Cairo started a project within the last year or so in which they planned to begin DNA testing on the mummy of King Tutankhamun in order to prove his lineage, as it has been heavily disputed throughout the years. Many Archaeologists believe that Tutankhamun's father was Akhenaten, the pharaoh who attempted to introduce monotheism to Egypt during a period now labeled the Amarna period. However, other experts believe that Tutankhamun is the child of a lesser known Pharaoh who followed Akhenten.
The results of the DNA testing and CAT scans will be announced February 17th by the Egyptian Museum's Chief of Antiquities, Zahi Hawass. Zahi Hawass is the same individual who discovered the mummy of Queen Hatshepsut after archeologists found her tomb, but not her. He is also the individual who has been working relentlessly to have ancient Egyptian artifacts and pieces returned to Egypt after discovering their illegal removal from Egypt. He is currently working on having the famous bust of Nefertiti returned to Egypt from Germany.
In addition to using DNA and CAT scans to determine the true lineage of King Tut, Hawass intends to DNA test every single mummy in the Egyptian Museum, including those who are currently unidentified, in order to learn more about the true identities of each individual. The Egyptian Museum in Cairo has a DNA facility funded by the Discovery Channel, and these tests mark an important step in further understanding the history of our world.
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