In the photo: Tutankhamun. Reconstruction of the appearance
Sensational results were obtained by biologists from the iGENEA genealogical research center, located in Zurich, where their Egyptian colleagues transferred part of the DNA extracted from the mummy of Pharaoh Tutankhamun
According to the Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities of the Arab Republic of Egypt Zahi Hawass, DNA samples of the legendary boy-pharaoh were extracted from his bone tissue - specifically from the left shoulder and left leg.
“Very neat punctures were made, in which the mummy did not suffer at all,” Hawass assured. And he emphasized that the main goal of researching the DNA of mummies is to establish and clarify the family ties of the pharaoh's family, which are very confusing. Since weighed down with secrets and numerous incests.
IGENEA specialists compared the DNA of Tutankhamun and modern Europeans. And it turned out that many of them are relatives of the pharaoh. On average, half of European men are “pharaohs”. And in some countries their share reaches 60-70 percent - as, for example, in Great Britain, Spain and France.
DNA was compared according to the so-called haplogroups - characteristic sets of DNA fragments that are passed down from generation, remaining almost unchanged. Relatives of Tutankhamun were "betrayed" by a common haplogroup called R1b1a2.
Surprisingly, this Pharaoh R1b1a2, so common among European men, is very rare among modern Egyptians. The share of its carriers among them does not exceed one percent.
“Isn't it very interesting that Tutankhamun is a genetic European,” says Roman Scholz, director of the iGENEA center.
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The studies of Swiss biologists have once again confirmed: modern Egyptians, in their total mass, are not degraded descendants of the pharaohs. They just have nothing to do with him - their ancient rulers. Which, in a way, explains the peculiarities of Egyptian society.
The pharaohs themselves are not local
“I believe that the common ancestor of the Egyptian kings and Europeans lived in the Caucasus about 9500 years ago,” Scholz said. - About 7 thousand years ago, his direct descendants settled in Europe. And someone got to Egypt and got out into the pharaohs.
It turns out, however, that, starting with the great-great-grandfathers, the ancestors of Tutankhamun, and he himself, were persons of Caucasian nationality. Maybe Georgians, Ossetians, Dagestanis. Or even Chechens …
What about the ancient Egyptians? It turns out that modern Europeans have not gone far from the Caucasus. In the sense of genetic similarity. But why are they so different in essence - natural faces of Caucasian nationality and their Western European variety? It is possible that further research will solve this riddle as well.
In the meantime, the Swiss are looking for the closest relatives of Tutankhamun among the Europeans. In fact. His great-great-great-nephews.
Egyptian scientists continue to study the DNA of mummies.