The Mystery And Intrigue Of King Tut

It’s no surprise that we are fascinated by ancient Egyptian culture. While scientists and historians have unearthed much about these ancient peoples’ lives, plenty still remains a mystery. One of the most mysterious and fascinating figures of ancient Egypt is the boy king, Tutankhamen. King Tut, as he’s commonly known, ascended the Egyptian thrown when he was just nine years old. Little is known about the boy king’s reign, other than that he was popular for rebelling against some of the more radical religious policies introduced by his predecessor, Akhenaton.

There is much speculation surrounding the cause of King Tut’s untimely death. Due to his young age and the relatively small size of his tomb compared to those of other Egyptian kings, historians suspect that his death was sudden and unexpected. For years, the prevailing theory was that he suffered a blow to the back of his head—leading to suspicions of foul play. A 2005 study revealed no evidence of a head injury and the most recognised scientific theory today is that he died of gangrene due to a broken leg injured during a hunting accident.

Regardless of the mysteries surrounding his death, King Tut’s tomb invokes a mysterious aura as well. Discovered in 1922 by Howard Carter, his tomb contained an amazing array of treasures and artefacts related to the life of Egyptian royalty. Its discovery was remarkable because it was one of the most intact tombs ever found; most ancient Egyptian tombs had been pillaged and desecrated by grave robbers throughout the centuries. While there was some evidence of intrusion into King Tut’s tomb, historians feel that it happened within a few months of his burial and very little appeared disturbed when Carter entered the tomb in the 20th century. According to the burial traditions of ancient Egypt, King Tut needed to be prepared for his journey to the afterlife, which led to the inclusion of an amazing array of clothing, jewellery, furniture, and containers holding food/drink items.

King Tut’s body remains inside of his Valley of the Kings tomb in Egypt, while exhibits around the world showcase numerous items from the tomb throughout the last 50 years. One of the best known exhibitions was the “Treasures of Tutankhamen” tour which opened at the British Museum in 1972 and attracted long lines of visitors from throughout the world. This exhibit included views of his solid gold death mask, as well as jewellery, furniture and other items found inside of his tomb. Exhibits launched in 2005, 2008, 2009 and 2010 criss-crossed the globe and visitors of all ages flocked to numerous cities throughout the world to catch a glimpse of items from the tomb.

By: Lauren Charles

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