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(Abstract) In this study, analysis of the mitochondrial and Y-chromosomal haplogroups was used to provide information about the phylogenetic groups of Tutankhamun's family members, and their presence among the reported contemporary Egyptian population data. The mitochondrial and Y-chromosomal DNA analysis of Tutankhamun's family confirms our previous data of the royal family pedigree, with multiple controls authenticating all results. The proposed sibling relationship between Tutankhamun's parents, KV55 (Akhenaten) and KV35YL, is further supported. The royal lineage is composed of the Y-chromosome haplogroup R1b and the mitchondrial haplogroup K. Population genetics point to a common origin at ca. 14,000-28,000 years before present locating to the Near East (497).

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This study recofirms and complements the previously published family pedigree of the King Tutankhamun (Hawass et al 2010 638-647). It also presents the plausible mitochondrial and Y-chromosomal signatures of the family members. The data suggest geographical and temporal matching of the origins of Y-chrmosomal and the mitochondrial signatures in the family to possible Near Eastern lineages, with time coverage believed to be between [ca] 14,500 and 28,400 YBP. A recent study by Schuenemann et al (2017, 15694) has also shown the propensity of Near Eastern lineages among their ancient Egyptian sample coming from Faiyum, although these were from later ancient periods. A distinction between the geographical origins of the investigated late 18th Dynasty family and the succeeding 20th Dynasty pharaohs (Ramesses III and Unknown Man E/Pentawere) was also shown. The latter was estimated to be of African origin, not a Middle or Near Eastern one.

Due to its geographical location, Egypt could have over time created a melting pot of various gene pools. The genetic variation outside Africa reflects only a subset of the African gene pool (Underhill and Kivisild 2007, 539-564). Studies on today's Egyptian population samples have resulted in haplogroups that are predominantly European or west Eurasian ... It was also reported that the modern Egyptian haplogroups in a study ere more closely associated with non-African populations than with the West Africans (Pagani et al 2015, 986-991). This accords with our findings that the same trend was indicated through the analysis of 18th Dynasty family members (509-10).