For the first time in 3,500 years, scientists have revealed a likeness of the face of Amenhotep I, the Egyptian pharaoh who founded the Valley of the Kings. This was made possible through a combination of modern technology and historical expertise, offering an intimate glimpse into the appearance of a ruler who ushered in one of ancient Egypt’s golden ages.
The Pharaoh Behind the Valley of the Kings
Amenhotep I, the second ruler of Egypt’s 18th Dynasty, reigned from around 1526 to 1506 BC. Known for his reign of peace and prosperity, he followed in the footsteps of his father, Ahmose I, who expelled the Hyksos invaders and reunited Egypt.
Amenhotep I’s reign laid the groundwork for the New Kingdom’s rise to power, and he is credited with establishing the Valley of the Kings as the final resting place for pharaohs and nobles of this era, writes the Daily Mail.
Not only was Amenhotep I revered for his military achievements, which included campaigns in Libya and northern Sudan, but he also oversaw significant religious and architectural projects, earning the devotion of his people.
After his death at around 35 years of age, Amenhotep I was worshipped as a god, and his mummified body was meticulously preserved.
Amenhotep I’s outer sarcophagus and his head and body after scanning inside. (S. Saleem and Z. Hawass / Frontiers in Medicine)
Reconstructing the Pharaoh’s Face
Once again, Brazilian 3D designer Cicero Moraes, who specializes in forensic facial reconstruction, spearheaded the project to digitally recreate the face of Amenhotep I. Using cutting-edge techniques, Moraes combined data from various sources, including computed tomography (CT) scans of the pharaoh’s skull taken in 2021. This work was part of a broader project led by paleo-radiologist Sahar N. Saleem of the University of Cairo and renowned Egyptologist Zahi Hawass, who virtually “unwrapped” Amenhotep’s mummy using advanced CT scanning.
The CT scans revealed important details about the pharaoh’s physical appearance, including his skeletal structure and some preserved internal organs like his heart and brain. These scans also confirmed that Amenhotep I stood about 5 feet 6 inches (1.67 meters) tall and had well-preserved teeth.
Although the scans did not determine a cause of death, they suggested that his body suffered postmortem damage, likely caused by tomb robbers or embalmers who rewrapped his mummy centuries after his burial.
Using the skull scans as a foundation, Moraes applied various reconstruction techniques. One method involved placing soft tissue thickness markers across the skull, while another involved “anatomical deformation,” adjusting a digital donor’s head until it matched the contours of Amenhotep’s skull.
The final reconstruction was a composite, blending these techniques with historical knowledge of Egyptian royalty.
The face of Amenhotep, as reconstructed by Cicero Moraes and his team. (© Cicero Moraes)
Unveiling the Pharaoh’s Real Face
The face Moraes revealed deviated from traditional depictions of Amenhotep I in statues and artwork. One noticeable difference was the pharaoh’s overbite, or retrognathism, a feature not typically represented in the statues of Amenhotep I or other Egyptian rulers
“Many mummies, such as Amenhotep I, show an overbite, but this is generally not reflected in a compatible way in the statues,” Moraes explained.
While the reconstructed face matched the statues in certain areas, such as the nose, the overall facial structure was more gracile in the forehead and more projected in the chin area.
Moraes’s work, supplemented by the findings of archaeologist Michael Habicht from Flinders University, offers the most realistic depiction of Amenhotep I to date. This digital reconstruction brings the pharaoh’s face to life, allowing modern audiences to see the man who once ruled a powerful and prosperous Egypt.
Amenhotep I: The Pharaoh Who Ushered in a Golden Age
Amenhotep I’s reign marked a turning point in ancient Egyptian history. Following the successful reunification of Egypt by his father Ahmose I, Amenhotep I consolidated the kingdom’s power, leading Egypt into a period of peace and growth. His religious and architectural initiatives, including the construction of temples and monuments, left a lasting impact on the cultural and spiritual life of Egypt.
One of his most significant contributions was the founding of the Valley of the Kings, which became the burial site for almost all the pharaohs of the 18th, 19th, and 20th dynasties. His own mummy was found among the first to be buried there, though it was moved to a hidden cache in the 11th century BC to protect it from tomb robbers.
Amenhotep I was deified after his death, a rare honor for an Egyptian pharaoh. He was worshipped alongside his mother, Ahmose-Nefertari, and his cult persisted well into the New Kingdom. His name, meaning “Amun is satisfied,” reflects his close relationship with the god Amun, and his reign is remembered as a time of cultural flourishing and religious devotion.
A Collaborative Effort in Rediscovering the Past
The digital reconstruction of Amenhotep I’s face is the culmination of years of work by Egyptologists, radiologists, and designers, showcasing how modern technology can breathe new life into ancient history.
“This work was not done just by us, but by all those who studied and study ancient Egypt seriously, always sharing information,” Moraes said, highlighting the collaborative nature of this groundbreaking project.
See more of the exceptional work of Cicero Moraes in the regular feature ‘Faces of History’ in the Ancient Origins Magazine.
Top image: Left; The full facial reconstruction of pharaoh Amenhotep I. Right; Digital reconstruction. Source: Left; Frontiers in Medicine/ Right; Cicero Moraes