Amenhotep III is considered one of history's greatest pharaohs. He ruled Egypt through a period of unparalleled prosperity and power. He also has more surviving statues than any other Egyptian ruler, yet a reconstruction of his face has never been made.
Who Was Amenhotep III?
Amenhotep III was the ninth pharaoh of the 18th dynasty of ancient Egypt, and he was worshiped as a living god. He was Tutankhamun's grandfather, and he ruled ancient Egypt at the height of its powers. He also claimed the Egyptian deity Amun was his real father, and the name Amenhotep meant 'Amun is satisfied.'
Archaeologists also described him as one of the richest men who ever lived. A study conducted in the 1970s portrayed Amenhotep III as a sick, obese, and sedentary bald man who suffered from dental issues in the last years of his life.
Archaeologists also believe that the king may have been something of a womanizer, importing hundreds of foreign harem ladies. It is also speculated that the pharaoh's mummy may have been covered entirely with gold leaf, making him look like a statue of a god.
After his death, Amenhotep III was succeeded by his son, Amenhotep IV. The new Egyptian king rebelled against the Amun priesthood and installed the sun god Aten as Egypt's major deity. He even changed his name to Akhenaten and moved the capital to a new city that honored the sun god. However, his son, Tutankhaten, restored the cult of Amun to prominence and changed his name to Tutankhamun.
Amenhotep III's Facial Approximation
For the first time in 3,400 years, a multinational team of researchers has revealed Amenhotep III's true likeness using data from the skull of his mummy. His face was brought back to life by Brazilian graphics expert Cicero Moraes.
The process of reconstruction began by digitally recreating Amenhotep III's skull using images and data from his mummy. Additional data from living donors was also used to construct the possible dimensions and position of his nose, ears, eyes, and lips.
Based on historical accounts, Amenhotep III had a robust appearance. This is why Moraes and his team used data from individuals with a high body mass index. Compared to other facial approximations of pharaohs that Moraes have participated in, this project was the most complete since they also modeled the clothes and accessories.
According to archaeologist Michael Habicht from Flinders University in Australia, Amenhotep III looked quite different from the pharaoh seen on ancient statues. He noted that his face was placid for a man who lived during Egypt's greatest economic prosperity.
While he was one of the great rulers of ancient Egypt, his body height was only about 61 inches (156 centimeters). This makes him one of the smallest pharaohs known for their preserved mummies. This small body height is also not reflected in art since he is known for his gigantic statues, such as the mortuary temple in western Thebes and a major temple at Soleb in Nubia.
The researchers also reported that it is difficult to know the cause of the pharaoh's death by analyzing his available remains.
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