A reconstruction of Tutankhamun by Cicero Moraes. Photo: Cicero Moraes
A reconstruction of Tutankhamun by Cicero Moraes. Photo: Cicero Moraes
A reconstruction of Tutankhamun by Cicero Moraes. Photo: Cicero Moraes
A reconstruction of Tutankhamun by Cicero Moraes. Photo: Cicero Moraes

Tutankhamun's 'delicate' face reconstructed digitally for first time


Kamal Tabikha
  • English
  • Arabic

Scientists from Australia, Italy and Brazil have digitally rendered King Tutankhamun’s face, the first time this has been done.

The boy king ascended to the throne of Egypt aged nine as one of the rulers of the 18th dynasty, until he died aged 19.

The researchers, whose efforts to reconstruct King Tutankhamun's face encountered several obstacles, such as access to his skull, eventually published their findings in a new study in the Italian Journal of Anatomy and Embryology.

The team used computer-generated models supplemented with pre-recorded measurements of King Tutankhamun's remains to render his face.

As the team did not have access to the skull itself, they imputed a digital scan of another and then adjusted the dimensions according to the measurements available to the team through other studies.

They were then able to approximate the shape of the pharaoh’s facial features including the size of his lips, the position of his eyes and the shape of his nose.

The reconstructed face looked markedly similar to a sculpture of the boy king found on the head of a lotus flower unearthed with his tomb, according to Michael Habicht, an Egyptologist and archaeologist at Flinders University in Australia and co-author of the study.

The reconstructed version was noted in the study for its youthfulness.

A CT scan of Tutankhamun's face
A CT scan of Tutankhamun's face

"He looks like a young man with a delicate face," said Brazilian graphic designer and one of the study’s co-author Cicero Moraes.

"Looking at him, we see more of a young student than a politician full of responsibilities, which makes the historical figure even more interesting."

King Tutankhamun's burial chamber was discovered in 1922 by renowned British archaeologist Howard Carter in the Valley of the Kings necropolis in Luxor.

It is one of the few ancient Egyptian tombs which were found almost intact, with treasures buried with the pharaoh still inside.

Other royal tombs had been repeatedly raided by graverobbers.

The Tutankhamun artefacts, 5,398 pieces in all, most of which are made of gold, are stored at the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo, which is still under construction.

Eighteen of the more modest pieces from the collection are on display at the Egyptian Museum in the capital's Tahrir Square.

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Tips on buying property during a pandemic

Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.

While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.

While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar. 

Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.

Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.

Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities. 

Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong. 

Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.

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Who: India v Bangladesh

When: Friday, 3.30pm, Dubai International Stadium

Watch: Live on OSN Cricket HD

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%3Cp%3ENon-oil%20trade%20between%20the%20UAE%20and%20Japan%20grew%20by%2034%20per%20cent%20over%20the%20past%20two%20years%2C%20according%20to%20data%20from%20the%20Federal%20Competitiveness%20and%20Statistics%20Centre.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIn%2010%20years%2C%20it%20has%20reached%20a%20total%20of%20Dh524.4%20billion.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ECars%20topped%20the%20list%20of%20the%20top%20five%20commodities%20re-exported%20to%20Japan%20in%202022%2C%20with%20a%20value%20of%20Dh1.3%20billion.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EJewellery%20and%20ornaments%20amounted%20to%20Dh150%20million%20while%20precious%20metal%20scraps%20amounted%20to%20Dh105%20million.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERaw%20aluminium%20was%20ranked%20first%20among%20the%20top%20five%20commodities%20exported%20to%20Japan.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ETop%20of%20the%20list%20of%20commodities%20imported%20from%20Japan%20in%202022%20was%20cars%2C%20with%20a%20value%20of%20Dh20.08%20billion.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
  1. Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
  2. Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
  3. Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
  4. Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
  5. Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
  6. The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
  7. Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269

*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year

Updated: June 01, 2023, 12:48 PM