Wednesday, November 15, 2006

The death of Tutankhamun

An article on the Kenya Times, in a miniscule font, summarizing the current state of speculation about the death of Tutankhamun: "If there is one Pharaoh who is most famous and has elicited the world’s interest in Egyptology, then undoubtedly, King Tutankhamun stands out.
Tutankhamun ruled between 1361-1352 BC in the 18th dynasty of the new kingdom of ancient Egypt.
When Egyptologists Lord Carnavon and Howard Carter tumbled on this young boy-King’s tomb in the Valley of kings next to Ramses VI’s tomb in 1922, the body had for three thousand years lay there in an anthropoid coffin of solid gold, besides it strange animal statutes, inscriptions and ushabti figures.
Jesus had been born and died, Mohammed too, so much had happened while Tut, as he was fondly referred, lay there untouched, un-interfered with and as it was, closed to the world. Since then, Egyptologists have been baying to establish the real cause of the young King’s death ever since a close examination of his mummy revealed an evidence of injury on his head. It could have been a result of an accident but suggestions of murder most foul have also been floated. An X-ray scan revealed a dense spot at the lower back of the skull, potentially a chronic subdural haematoma, which could have been caused by a blow from behind.
Last year, Egyptian archeologist Zahi Hawass revealed the results of a CT scan performed on the Pharaoh’s mummy which uncovered no evidence for a blow to the back of the head as well as evidence suggesting foul play."
See the above page for the full story.

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