The Tutankhamun DNA Project

Are you a direct male descendant of the Pharaos? iGENEA exclusively publishes the Y-DNA profile of Tutankhamun and starts the search for his last living relatives.

In the year 2009 extended DNA-tests had been carried out with the mummy of Tutankamun and other members for his family. These have only partially been published in February 2010. Despite several demands, the results of the Y-DNA tests have been shut away.

iGENEA was able to reconstruct the Y-DNA profile of Tutankhamun, his father Akhenaten and his grandfather Amenhotep III with the help of a recording of the Discovery Channel. The astonishing result:

Are you a direct male descendant of the Pharaos? Tutankhamun belongs to the haplogroup R-M269, which more than 50% of all men in Western Europe belong to.

Search for living relatives

In the current project we search for the closest living relative of Tutankhamuns male lineage in Europe. To take part in the Tutankhamun DNA project order one of the following tests. If your profile matches Tutankhamuns in all 16 markers we refund your payment and you receive a further DNA test as an upgrade for free.

Background

The haplogroup R-M269 arose about 9.500 years ago in the surrounding area of the Black Sea. The migration of this haplogroup into Europe started at the earliest with the spread of agriculture since 7.000 BC. It is ver probable that it is also connected to the Indoeuropeans who spread over Europe a little later in several waves of migrations.

In Egypt the contingent of this haplogroup is below 1% and partially caused by european immigration during the last 2.000 years.

Tutankhamun had been the last Pharao of the 18th dynasty and ruled from about 1.332 until 1.323 BC. His paternal lineage begins with Pharao Thutmose I. who ruled from about 1.504 until 1.492 BC. His paternal ancestry is unknown.

Therefore, it is still unclear how this line came from the region of origin to Egypt. The earliest evidence of agriculture dates back to 5000 BC. It is possible that Haplogroup R-M269 moved from the North to Egypt with the spread of agriculture from the region of the Fertile Crescent.

The fourth expansional wave of the probably indoeuropean Kurgan Culture between 2.500 and 2.200 BC is also a good candidate. This culture spread since 4.400 BC to Europe which explains the correlation with haplogroup R-M269. This haplogroup was also widespread in the indoeuropean Hittite empire in Anatolia. From the time of Akhenatens or Tuankhamuns reign a letter of an egyptian queen is known from the Hittite archives. In this letter she asks the Hittites King for one of his sons as a new Pharao because her husband died and she herself got no son.

The identity of the queen is unknown, perhaps the 18th dynasty was related to the Hittites, the origin of the R-M269-lineage could point to this.

The detailed context can only be clearified by further research. By the publication of the test result we want to contribute to the scientific discussion and bring it forward.

Press Reports

• 70% of Spanish men share DNA with Tutankhamun (02.08.2017, La Vanguardia)
• Fast jeder zweite Deutsche stammt von Tutanchamun ab (12.03.2016, FOCUS)
• King Tut may have been more European than Egyptian (02.08.2011, CTV News)
• Every second person from Switzerland has the Pharaoh DNA (10.07.2011, 20 Minuten)

Genetic indigenous peoples by iGENEA

By Ancient tribes, we refer to peoples from ancient times who are defined not only by their own language, culture and history, but also by their own DNA profile. An origins analysis by iGENEA determines your Ancient tribe by means of your haplogroup and genetic profile. The result refers roughly to the period between 900 BC and 900 AD.

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This is how the DNA origin analysis works

A Mucus Sample suffices to get a sample of your DNA. Taking the sample is simple and painless and can be done at home. Send the samples with the envelop included in the sampling kit.