When the lid of King Tut's third coffin was raised it was immediately clear that the royal mummy, although intact, was in very poor condition. This was due to humidity and the protective 'libation' in which the mummy had been covered, with the result that the outer wrappings were blackened and parts of the accessories had disintegrated.
Cleft palate, equinovarus foot deformity (a mild case of clubfoot, left), Kohler disease II and bone necrosis, mild kyphoscoliosis (abnormal curvature of the spine), hypophalangism (absence of one or more phalanges of a digit, his toe), flatfoot (right foot), a fractured leg (not healed at time of death) and malaria tropica.
The opening in his skull was sustained during the mummification process. Tutankhamun's already weakened constitution in combination with malaria is now assumed to be the cause of death.
He’s the most famous figure in ancient Egyptian history, but there’s still plenty of mystery surrounding King Tut. Who better to clear up a few of them for us than Dr Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities?
Some of the most asked questions about King Tutankhamun have centred around his death, and whether he was murdered. Dr Zahi Hawass enlightens us in this video on how the latest technology has been used to find the answer this question. Using radiology and CT scans to examine the remains of King Tut, science has helped to identify an ancient fracture and a hole in the back of the Boy King's head. This video is the first in a series of videos about King Tutankhamun, so be sure to keep checking back for the next video!
