DiscoveringTut:TheSagaContinues

This is a living example of technology advancement. We accepted things and events

attributing their cause to nature and her wrath. However, advancement and
technology could give us a different picture. This way, it has become a habit with us
to accept everything that history states and dictates. On the process the modern
world has found ways to offer a different view on it. In other words, the modern world
has turn impossibilities to possibilities. Williams report gives an insight into this. A
mummy scanned after a thousand years has opened new avenues regarding a
cause of its death. The mummy referred to here is that of King Tut or Tutankhamen,
meaning the living image of Amun. The earlier ruler, Amenhotep-IV has shocked the
country by attacking Amun, a major God, smashing his images and closing all his
temples. His family had ruled for centuries before the boy king, Tut took over.
However, Tut ruled for nine years and then died both mysteriously and unexpectedly.
The scanning of Tuts mummy also gave an insight as to how mummies were buried.
Howard Carter, who scanned the body found it difficult to extract the mummy. The
ritual resins had hardened thereby cementing Tut to the bottom of his solid gold
coffin. Carter finally had to chisel the mummy away having no other option. Every
major point was severed. Tut was buried with gold which was meant to guarantee the
resurrection and was also buried with every day things he would need in his after-life.
Tut also had things to take on his journey to the great beyond-glittering goods,
precious collars, necklaces and sandals, all of pure gold. The computed Tomography
scan couldnt solve the mysterious death of Tut but gave us clues for sure. The Xrays and C.T. scan reveal a startling fact-the breast bone and the Pont ribs of Tut
were missing. Such a revelation would not have been possible without technological
precision. This fact gives us a clue that Tut, in all likelihood did not die a natural
death.

Technology hasnt been able to give us a definite answer to Tuts death. However, it
has given us a direction to think and proceed. Maybe in future, technology would
solve it for us. The whole excavation and the scan required scores of people. It was a
grueling job and the workers had a tough time. After the pharaoh was rested in peace
again, Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of Egypts Supreme Council of Antiquities
said, I didnt sleep last night, not for a second. I was worried. But now I think I will go
and sleep. It just proves how tough the whole process was. In other words, King Tut

is one of the first mummies to be scanned-in death as in life. He was famous when
he was alive and his untimely death has raised the necessity to probe the lingering
mysteries

of

this

young

ruler

who

died

more

than

3,300

years

ago.

Revision
Tutankhamun was one of the Egyptian Pharaohs. He became a king at a
very small age of 15 or so but after a short period of time he was probably
murdered by his enemies. We have no clues about why he was murdered,
by whom, with what, and many others. What we know now is that he was
buried solemnly after being mummified and encased in three coffins one
in the other. He was buried with gold, silk garments, diamonds and even
with under garments because the ancient Egyptians believed in life after
death. After his grand burial, a pyramid was erected upon his tomb. This is
a very famous pyramid in Egypts long history. All this happened 3300
years ago.

1.

Who was Tutankhamun?

2.

What do you know about his death?

3.

How was Tutanhamun buried after his life?

Centuries passed. In the year 1920, an archaeologist, Howard Carter,

discovered this tomb. Note that it was after 3300 hundred years of Tuts
burial! Carter was a British citizen and therefore he didnt have the beliefs
of the Egyptians. The Egyptians never tried to go near Tuts tomb because
they had feared that going near Tuts tomb was disasterous. It could invite
the Pharaohs curse! Like other British citizens, carter also believed that
this was just a superstition to keep thieves away from the tomb and from
the enormous wealth buried with the little Pharaoh. Anyway carter was not
scared. He decided to take Tuts body out.

1.

Who was Howard Carter?

2.

What discovery did he make in 1920?

3.

What superstition had prevailed about Tutankhamun? Did Carter believe

this? Why?

But taking Tuts body wasnt that easy. Carter and his team broke the
three gold coffins one after the other. Finally they broke the innermost
coffin and saw the dried, hard body of Tut! It was really wonderful to see
the dead body of a 3300 year old mummy and to know for sure that his
name was Tutankhamun. Dont you think so? I would have felt a creeping
feeling!!! However, Howard carter was a strong heart. He then decided to
take the body out of the coffins but soon realized that that was not so easy
because the body had got hardened with the resins and separating the
body from the coffin was IMPOSSIBLE! But Carter could not think of leaving
the body there. He feared the thieves who could destroy the mummy for
stealing the valuable wealth inside, so Carter decided to cut Tuts body
into pieces.

1.

Why wasnt it easy to take out Tuts body out of the third coffin?

2.

Why could not Carter think of leaving Tuts body in the tomb?

That really happened: Carter amputed Tuts hands, legs and all the other
joints. You can call it a kind of a 21st century murder of a 1300 BC Pharaoh
and the Murder was committed by HOWARD CARTER. Carter had no other
option because for him the mummy was more important than the
treasures. Having taken the sliced pieces of Tut, Carter rejoined them into

Tut again.Why did Carter ampute Tuts body? Well, Carter received
criticisms from everywhere for killing an ancient mummy but Carter went
ahead with his discovery. After some years, probably after Carters death,
a doctor performed an Xray and found out that one of Tuts bones was
missing from his reassembled body. How did it happen? No one knows!
Years passed and archaeologists and scientists performed a number of
studies and experiments.

1.

Why was Carter criticized?

2.

Do you think Carter was absolutely wrong in amputing Tuts body? Why?

3.

What did the Xray images reveal of Tutankhamun?

The most remarkable experiment performed on Tuts body was that his
whole body was CT Scanned in the year 2001. The first Pharaoh to be CT
Scanned and Xrayed! The first Egyptian to taste the most modern
scientific treatment! The first man to be honored with modern technology!
Tut is outstanding, amazing, lucky.

1.

How is King Tutankhamun ahead of his countrymen and all the men who
lived and died on this earth?

Questions & Answers

1.

When was Tutankamuns mummy first discovered?

2.

What are the modern worlds speculation about his death? OR What new
clues has the scientific world got about the life and death of Tut?
Tutankhamuns mummy was first discovered in the year 1920 by

archaeologist Howard Caretrs team. The modern world speculates that he

was the last of the Pharaohs of a powerful dynasty. He was less than
twenty years when he was probably murdered whereas he became king at
a very younger age.
3.

What are the facts behind the curse of the Pharaoh?

4.

Why did Howard Carter ampute Tuts mummy?

5.

Give an account of Tuts funerary treasures.

6.

King Tutankamun was outstanding during his life and beyond that.
Explain.

7.

What were Howard Carters contributions to archaeology? Why was he

criticized for the same?
TheSagaContinuesWhichSaga?
Uncertaintystillsurroundshisdeath.Hemayhavebeenassassinated,ordiedastheresultof
aninjuryreceivedwhilehunting.Becausethemummieswereburiedwithtonsofgoldand
othervaluables,itwasacustominancientEgypttospreadawarningabouteachPharaohand
itwastokeeptombraidersandlocalthievesaway.WhenTutwasburied,thiswasthe
warningDonotdisturbthelittlepharaohssleep.Donotapproach!
Vocabulary

RansackSearchvigorouslyforalostthing.
ArtefactsHumanmadeobjects
NestedArrangeinawaythatoneiskeptinanotherandsimilarlythefirsttwoina
thirdone.
ResinsStickysubstanceofbrowncolor
BudgeMovefromoneplace
ConsolidatedBroughttogether
ChiselAcarpenterstool
CircumventIntrude
GreatbeyondHeaven
InlaidSetintothesurfaceofsomething
AmuletOrnamentwornontheshoulder
BraceletOrnamentforthewrist
InterveningTooccurbetweentwoincidents
IntriguingCaptivating;fascinating
SophisticatedHighendtechnology
CTComputedtomography
LingeringRemaining
DemiseDeath
DeathrattleThelastsoundofadyingperson

AftermathEffect;consequence
AtenSunGod
AkhenatenServantofAten
ThebesAcityinEgypt
WackyCrazy
AmunAnothergodofEgypt
RestorationRevival
RegallyLikeaking
EerieSuperstitious;weird
PallbearersOneofacoupleofpeoplewhocarryafuneralcoffin