How did King Tut die?

2005-01-06 10:54

Luxor - A team of researchers briefly removed King Tut's mummy from its tomb on Tuesday and lay bare his bones for a CT scan that could solve an enduring mystery: Was it murder or natural causes that killed Egypt's boy pharaoh 3 000 years ago?

Tut's toes and fingers and an eerie outline of his face could be seen as the mummy, resting in a box to protect it, was placed inside the machine in a specially equipped van, parked near his underground tomb in the famed Valley of the Kings.

The 1 700 images taken during the 15-minute CT scan could answer many of the mysteries that shroud King Tutankhamun's life and death - including his royal lineage, his exact age now estimated at 17, and the cause of his death.

A simpler X-ray done 36 years ago showed bone fragments inside the skull of Tut - who was buried in a "hurried" fashion in a glitter of gold treasures, said Zahi Hawass, Egypt's chief archaeologist. But that previous test wasn't sophisticated enough to determine if the bone fragments signified a blow to the head.

Detailed view

The CT scan, in contrast, will provide a far more detailed, three-dimensional view of the scattered bones and coverings that make up Tut's mummy.

Hawass, part of the 10-man team that conducted Tuesday's tests, said the results of the Tut scan will be announced later this month in Cairo.

"There are so many stories about his death and his age," Hawass said. "Today we will determine what really happened."

The removal of the mummy from its tomb - the first time in 82 years - also showed it is in bad condition and Egyptian officials will begin a "process of restoration to protect and preserve it," Hawass said. The mummy was returned to the tomb after the scan and all restoration will be done there, he said.

The short life of Tutankhamun has fascinated people since his tomb was discovered in 1922 by a British archaeologist, revealing a trove of fabulous treasures in gold and precious stones that showed the wealth and craftsmanship of the Pharaonic court.

Was he murdered?

Archaeologists have long wondered if Tut was murdered. Hawass said one factor included the fact that the conditions of his burial in the tomb seemed "hurried."

Tutankhamun ruled about 3 300 years ago and is believed to be the 12th ruler of ancient Egypt's 18th dynasty. He ascended to the throne at about the age of 8 and died around 1323 BC at approximately 17.

Tut's lineage also has long been in question. It's unclear if he is the son or a half-brother of Akhenaten, the "heretic" pharaoh who introduced a revolutionary form of monotheism to ancient Egypt and who was the son of Amenhotep III.

The examination had raised a row among archaeologists and officials in Egypt, who insisted the mummy not be taken from Luxor, and that the research be done by Egyptians. The researchers originally had planned to move the mummy to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo for examination, but altered that after the outcry.

- AP