Did Tutankhamon Die From an Infection?
Jan 14th, 2007 by Lee (admin)
Since 1968 when detailed x-rays were taken of the boy king’s mummy, popular belief has been that Tutankhamon was murdered, by a blow to the head.
This theory came about following the revelation that the x-rays had revealed bone fragments within his skull. This would be typical in a murder where severe force was applied to the head.
However, an international team has recently been allowed to scan the body once again, this time using more up to date versions of x-rays, known as CT (computerised tomography). The result of this scanning would suggest that Tutankhamon’s skull was in fact intact at the time of his death.
Tutankhamon’s mummy had, in reality, been near enough butchered by Howard Carter’s expedition team upon it’s discovery in 1922. Presumeably, they had been intending to steal the magnificent gold funeral mask, without success.
The reason they did not get away with the mask and why Tutankhamon’s mummy was so badly damaged was that it had been sealed tightly with embalming fluid.
The fact that none of the bone fragments in Tutankhamon’s skull were fused together from embalming fluid seeping in over the ages would suggest that his head was actually in one piece at the time of his burial.
So how then did King Tut die? Well, the scans did reveal a leg fracture that had become fused by embalming fluid. It’s possible then, but my no means proven, that Tutankhamon may have developed an infection following a broken leg that would ultimately lead to his early demise.
[...] Aton was declared the only true deity during this period, becoming the first occassion of monethism in history, but the worship of Amon and the other deities were restored by Amenhotep IV’s successor Tutankhamon. [...]