Tutankhamun Mystery

Exploring Ancient Mysteries

Tutankhamun, the Young Pharaoh of Egypt

Over the years, the earth has grown older. The present day world

depicts modern developed societies. However, the quest to learn about

the birth of earth, the ancient civilizations and the mysteries

surrounding these past developments have been of interest to the

present day man. The advancements in technology have helped the

mankind to explore the ancient mysteries and the civilizations that

lived trillion of years back. The land of Egypt is often called as

land of mysteries. The monuments, temples, pyramids and other similar

architectural sites have captured the attention of historians,

archeologists and anthropologists to learn about this land. The first

of civilization

is said to have emerged along the banks of the river
Nile (flows North from the Africa to Mediterranean). (Mysteries of
Egypt, Egyptian Civilization).

Tutankhamun, the young King of Egypt has been of interest to
historians. His becoming a pharaoh as a child (nine years old) and his
young death (18 years) created mysteries and raised questions in the
minds of many.

The historians, anthropologists and archeologists have

been trying to dig evidence in Tutankhamun’s life and his untimely

death. Years of research have brought various revelations and

unearthed mysteries. An archaeological team led by British

Egyptologist Howard Carter discovered Tutankhamun tomb in November

1922. (Owen Jarus, April 2016). As per the archeological findings and

forensic evidence, there were signs of burn on Tutankhamun’s body.

Subsequent chemical tests confirmed that the body was burnt while

sealed inside the coffin. It was also discovered that “embalming oils”

combined with oxygen and linen caused a chemical reaction which raised

the temperature, and the body was cooked. (Jonathan Owen, November

2013). Archaeological findings have revealed that Tutankhamun had

health issues. He is speculated to have suffered from malaria and a

bone disorder. At that time food items and other accessories were kept

in the grave. There was a belief that the soul would return to the

body, and the person would require basic necessities. Sticks were

found in Tutankhamun’s grave suggesting that he had walking problems.

Exact facts about Tutankhamun death continue to remain a mystery.

Certain hypothesis based on the fossil evidence suggest that the

young
pharaoh died from bone infection. Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder
in which the limbs get longer was common among the royal family but
the examination of the body revealed that he did suffer from this
syndrome.

(Owen Jarus, April 2016).

There exists a religious angle to Tutankhamun’s death. Egyptians

believed in polytheistic religion (Egyptians had as many as 2000 Gods

and Godesses; there two Chief Gods were Amon-Ra - sun god and lord of

universe and Osiris - the God of the underworld”). Tutankhamun father,

Akhenaten was a “revolutionary pharaoh”, who tried to focus Egypt’s

polytheistic religion around the worship of the sun. Tutankhamun, due

to his young age had to rely on the advisors. The young ruler tried to

undo the religious revolution that his father had started. He

condemned the destruction of the temples under his father’s rule. He

believed that due to the “Akhenaten’s religious revolution”, God’s

were ignoring the land of Egypt, which was a bad omen. To justify

strong belief/bondage with “Osiris, the God of the underworld” (idea

of immortality), Tutankhamun had himself “mummified” in an unusual

way. As per the Archeologist Salima Ikram “Tutankhamun’s skin was

soaked black with oil, his heart was removed and was mummified.” The

inflammable oil burned the body. (Owen Jarus, April

2016).