SAEDNEWS: Amenhotep I, who ruled Egypt 3,500 years ago, has been digitally recreated using CT scans and graphics. The reconstruction shows his nose and chin, with some differences from ancient statues. He likely died around age 35.
According to the History and Culture Service of Saed News, the face of one of ancient Egypt’s most significant pharaohs, Amenhotep I, is no longer a mystery. Thanks to the efforts of archaeologists and graphic experts, the features of this long-lost ruler have now been reconstructed.
Amenhotep I was the second pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty, reigning around 1500 BCE, or approximately 3,500 years ago.
The New York Post, citing Brazilian graphic specialist Cicero Moraes—who also reconstructed the appearance of Amenhotep III—reports that Amenhotep I’s face likely differs from how he was depicted in treasures and statues of the time. Researchers were unable to reconstruct the “overlap between the upper and lower front teeth” (dental overbite) but were able to depict the king’s chin.
Nevertheless, Moraes noted that the reconstructed image’s nose aligns with known statues of Amenhotep I, and the head features the iconic blue-and-gold headdresses associated with Egyptian pharaohs.
The facial reconstruction was based on a 2021 study in which the pharaoh’s remains were fully examined via CT scans.
Michael Habicht, archaeologist and co-author with Cicero, explained that while the cause of death remained unclear, Amenhotep I is estimated to have died around age 35. Habicht added that the pharaoh’s teeth were in good condition and his hair was curly. A series of post-mortem injuries were also observed, likely caused either by tomb robbers or the rewrapping of the mummy’s remains.
