Ankhesenamun
Ankhesenamun (ˁnḫ-s-n-imn, "Her Life Is of Amun"; c. 1348 or c. 1342 – after 1322 BC) was a queen who lived during the 18th Dynasty of Egypt. Born Ankhesenpaaten (ˁnḫ.s-n-pꜣ-itn, "she lives for the Aten"), she was the third of six known daughters of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten and his Great Royal Wife Nefertiti. She became the Great Royal Wife of Tutankhamun. The change in her name reflects the changes in ancient Egyptian religion during her lifetime after her father's death. Her youth is well documented in the ancient reliefs and paintings of the reign of her parents.
| Ankhesenamun | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Royal Wife | |||||||
Sculpture fragment believed to be of Ankhesenamun, Brooklyn Museum, United States | |||||||
| Tenure | c. 1332–1323 BC | ||||||
| Born | c. 1348 BC or c. 1342 BC Thebes | ||||||
| Died | after 1322 BC (aged 20-26) | ||||||
| Burial | KV21 (uncertain) | ||||||
| Spouse | Tutankhamun (half-brother or cousin) Ay (grandfather or great-uncle?) | ||||||
| Issue | 317a and 317b (uncertain) Ankhesenpaaten Tasherit (uncertain) | ||||||
| Egyptian name | |||||||
| Dynasty | 18th of Egypt | ||||||
| Father | Akhenaten | ||||||
| Mother | Nefertiti | ||||||
| Religion | Ancient Egyptian religion | ||||||
Ankhesenamun was well documented as being the Great Royal Wife of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. Initially, she may have been married to her father and it is possible that, upon the death of Tutankhamun, she was married briefly to Tutankhamun's successor, Ay, who is believed by some to be her maternal grandfather.
DNA test results on mummies discovered in KV21 were released in February 2010, which has given rise to speculation that one of two late 18th Dynasty queens buried in that tomb could be Ankhesenamun. Because of their DNA, both mummies are thought to be members of that ruling house.