Mystery of Tutankhamen Death
Patience Williams
Professor: Dr. Brook Beshah
HUM 111
January 30, 2012
Abstract
This paper unravels the mystery surrounding the death of Tutankhamen, an Egyptian Pharaoh of the 18th dynasty (1333 BC- 1323 BC in conventional chronology), a period in the history of Egypt regarded as the “New Kingdom” Hankey and Julie (2007). In addition, the paper discusses a brief history of Tutankhamen (the boy king of Egypt) who reigned for 10 years, the cause of his rather untimely death, which up to this day people continues to discuss with a certain degree of uncertainty. The paper accomplishes these tasks by providing a brief summary of some theories that might explain the mystery that surrounds Tutankhamen’s death. Finally, the paper identifies a particular theory out of many regarding Tutankhamen’s death that best explains the mystery of his death.
Brief History Before discussing the mystery surrounding the death of Tutankhamen, it is important to know who he was and how and why he became the youngest pharaoh (king) in the history of Egypt and probably the entire world. According to Clayton (2006), Tutankhamen was the son Akhenaten, a former Pharaoh of the 18th dynasty of Egypt who ruled for 17 years and died probably around 1336 BC or 1334 BC. Tutankhamen who reigned for 10 years, became Pharaoh at the age of nine, but died at the age of 18. Historically, as a prince he was known as Tutankhamen, a name which means living image of Aten. Clayton (2006) describes Aten the disk of the sun in ancient Egypt mythology, and originally an aspect of RA, ancient Egypt son of god. History put it that Tutankhamen ascended to the throne in about 1333 BC, when he was presumably nine or ten years of age. Hankey and Julie (2007) explained the following:
When Tutankhamen became king, he married his half-sister, Ankhesenepatan, who later change her name to Ankhesenamum. They had two daughters, both stillborn. One daughter died between 5-6 months of pregnancy whiles the other at 9 months respectively. Amazingly, no evidence was found of congenital anomalies. (p. 157)
Tutankhamen’s Reign Architects
It is important to note however, that due to Tutankhamen’s youthfulness, it was obvious that his kingdom had very powerful and well placed advisers, Clayton (2006) states that Tutankhamen inner circle of advisers included General Horemheb, the Vizier Ay, and Maya, the “overseer of the Treasury” (p. 58). Clayton (2006) further maintained that an important member of Tutankhamen’s advisory team was General Horemheb, who was appointed lord of the land, for the specific purpose of maintaining law and order, given the general’s ability to calm Tutankhamen whenever he was angry.
The Mystery of Tutankhamen’s Death The mystery of Tutankhamen’s death is the fact that after several hundred years of research aided in some cases by modern technologies, there has not been any finding with 100% surety regarding the real cause of Tutankhamen’s death. Most of the researches have come up with circumstantial evidence to prove their findings. Amazingly, there are no surviving records of Tutankhamen’s final days, amid major studies aimed at establishing his cause of death. Some theories have indicated that he was assassinated while others claimed he died as a result of an infection emulating from a broken leg which he sustained from falling off his hunting chariot. For example, according to National Geographic Magazine (issue September 2010), Tutankhamen was the result of an incestuous relationship and given that condition, he may have encountered several genetic defects that contributed to his early death. As recently as June 2010, German scientists said they were convinced that there was evidence, proving that Tutankhamen died as a result of sickle cell disease, a disease passed down through families in which red blood cells form an abnormal crescent shape.
Zahi Hawass theory derived after his 2005 CT scan clearly explains the mystery surrounding the early death of Tutankhamen. His theory refutes most theories that claimed Tutankhamen was murdered and or died as a result of genetic defects or sickle cell disease. Amazingly, though, Zahi’s theory agreed with other theories, claiming Tutankhamen died as a result of a badly broken leg that became infected. Hankey and Julie (2007) claimed Zahi confirmed the mystery by admitting that even though his theory refutes theories that showed Tutankhamen died as a result of sickle cell disease and or assassination, he had not idea how Tutankhamen (Young Boy King) actually died. Clayton (2006) provided the following quotes attributed to Zahi, in which he acknowledged the mystery surrounding the death of Tutankhamen:
I have two theories-that he may have died from natural causes or that he was poisoned, however, we are going to look at his viscera to see if his organs show any signs, but it is virtually impossible to prove how he died. (p. 134) After many years of research and theories surrounding the untimely death of a Pharaoh whose life has fascinated people since his tomb was discovered in 1922, the mystery surrounding his death at the age of 19 continues, as no theory has provided authentic evidence of Tutankhamen actual cause of death. Whether he died as a result of evidence provided in some theories, the mystery surrounding his death will continue until an actual cause of death is proven beyond theories we have already heard.
References
Clayton, P. A. (2006). Chronicle of the pharaohs: the reign-by-reign record of the rulers and dynasties of ancient Egypt. London: Thames & Hudson.
Hankey, J. (2007). A passion for Egypt Arthur Weigall, Tutankhamun, and the "curse of the pharaohs". London: I.B. Tauris
National Geographic Magazine - NGM.com. (n.d.). National Geographic Magazine. Retrieved January 27, 2012, from http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/09/tut-dna Sayre, H. M. (2012). Humanities: Culture, Continuity & Change (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc..
