Book of Ancient Egypt
Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter after the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb
What killed King Tut?
CT scans and X-rays have attempted to determine the cause of death
He was murdered by his successor
The presence of a piece of bone in his skull cavity led experts to believe that Tutankhamun died from a brain haemorrhage caused by a blow to the head. Recent examination has discredited this theory.
Malaria
A DNA analysis showed malaria to be present in Tutankhamun’s system, leading some to believe his weakened body was unable to fight it off. Although this can be a deadly disease, adults often develop immunity to it, so this theory is in some doubt.
A chariot crash
Tutankhamun’s body had several injuries down one side. Car-crash experts concluded that the injuries would correspond to death by a chariot crash, which shattered his ribs and pelvis. However, it was later concluded that these injuries occurred after death.
Genetic diseases
A host of genetic diseases are attributed to Tutankhamun’s death, including temporal lobe epilepsy. Experts hypothesised that this epilepsy caused a fatal fall that broke his leg, which then became infected.
Killed by a hippo
The fact that Tutankhamun had several broken ribs and that his heart was not embalmed made a case for a injury to the chest as the cause of death. As hunting hippos was a pastime of Egyptian pharaohs, it gave birth to this seemingly outrageous theory.
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An artist’s impression of the boy king
On 29 November the press had gathered for the official opening of the tomb and locals had already started to sell Tutankhamun-themed Christmas cards from makeshift tables set up in the vast sandy expanse of the valley. Although eager to discover what lay within the burial chamber, Carter was dedicated to meticulously clearing and documenting every single item discovered in the antechamber and annex, and of course, he was already very aware of what lay beyond the northern door, for he had already seen it. It took two and a half months to complete the mammoth task. It was a nerve-wracking experience for Carter and his team, as they risked the ancient – and very delicate – artefacts crumbling to dust at their touch. Every single chest they uncovered had to undergo a mini excavation of the seemingly random jumble of ancient items that had been hastily stuffed inside. When it was finally time to officially open the burial chamber, Carnarvon gave a speech where he, as his brother described, was unusually nervous, “like a naughty schoolboy”, quite obviously anxious that their nighttime raid may be discovered. Regardless, Carter breached the doorway and they were able to squeeze through three at a time. The sight that greeted them was astonishing – a great gilt shrine 2.7 metres (nine feet) high filled almost the entire chamber. It was completely overlaid