Royal lineage

Egypt will tomorrow unveil results of DNA tests carried out on the mummy of the enigmatic boy-king Tutankhamun in a bid to unravel the mystery concerning his lineage. Antiquities supremo Zahi Hawass will hold a much-anticipated news conference at the Cairo Museum, home of the fabulous treasure of Tutankhamun who died more than 3,000 years ago, to announce results of the study.

The face of Pharaoh Tutankhamun (right) is displayed in a climate-controlled case in his underground tomb in the famed Valley of the Kings in Luxor. The announcement is expected to reveal "secrets of the family and the affiliation of Tutankhamun, based on the results of the scientific examination of the Tutankhamun mummy following DNA analysis," Mr Hawass said.

The pharaoh known around the world as King Tut has been surrounded by mystery, ever since his solid gold and turquoise sarcophagus was found in a tomb unearthed by a British archaeologist in the Valley of the Kings in 1922. Howard Carter's discovery was an international sensation as it brought to light a stunning treasure, including an 11-kilo solid gold death mask encrusted with lapis lazuli and semi-precious stones.