Tutankhamun is one of the most famous pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. He ruled about 3,000 years ago, ascending to the throne at 9 or 10 and dying at 18. The likely cause of Tutankhamun’s death remains unknown. For a long time, researchers thought he died of malaria, possibly in combination with an infected wound. However, modern research suggests a very different possibility.
Egyptologist Sofia Aziz has proposed a controversial new theory about how the young pharaoh may have died. She argues Tutankhamun was a classic example of “golden youth” and may have been involved in a chariot accident while intoxicated. That crash could have broken his leg, which then became fatally infected.
How did it all begin?
The tomb of Tutankhamun was discovered in the Valley of the Kings by Egyptologist Howard Carter in 1922. Several months were spent cataloging the antechamber. The burial chamber and sarcophagus were found and opened in 1923. It took another ten years to clear the tomb of the thousands of treasures and objects buried with the ruler’s mummy.
The Mask of Tutankhamun
Since then, Tutankhamun’s tomb has become one of the most studied sites, and the pharaoh’s life and death have sparked intense debate among researchers. In 2010, a group of Egyptologists conducted the most extensive radiological study of the pharaoh’s mummy. The main goal was to determine the causes of Tutankhamun’s early death.
Previous research suggested the pharaoh needed a cane because of a bone disorder called Kohler’s disease. They also reported a clubfoot on his left foot and fewer than five toes on his right. But researchers concluded those ailments probably didn’t kill him; instead a broken leg was the likely fatal injury. Why he broke his leg remains unknown.
Not a disabled person, but a true warrior.
Aziz now rejects the earlier conclusions that the famous pharaoh was disabled. She points to items found in the tomb as evidence. In Ancient Egypt, the dead were commonly buried with everyday objects thought to be useful in the afterlife.
Aziz notes the six chariots, armor, and wine storage found in Tutankhamun’s tomb. She argues these items suggest the young ruler wasn’t disabled and that he rode chariots as a “warrior pharaoh.”
The Egyptologist believes Tutankhamun clipped the edge of his chariot during a ride, causing the life-threatening injuries. She also maintains that the previously reported clubfoot didn’t actually exist.
Aziz says that apparent deformity likely resulted from the mummification process rather than from the pharaoh’s lifetime. She told the Daily Mail the distortion could have been caused by tight bandaging and the use of resin.
Moreover, the straight alignment of the mummy’s legs supports her view. Aziz argues that if Tutankhamun had foot deformities or had been bow-legged, walking would have been difficult. Instead, the long, straight bones contradict those claims.
Aziz says she’s seen many mummies with clubfoot, and in Tutankhamun’s case there is no clear evidence he was disabled. She suggests the canes may have been symbols of royal authority rather than mobility aids.
Who knows how it really was?
Despite Aziz’s claims, Professor Albert Zink, who participated in the landmark 2010 study, says their conclusions still stand. He argues the CT scans clearly indicate foot deformity and the presence of other leg diseases in Tutankhamun.
There is little doubt the pharaoh had a walking impairment, particularly from bone necrosis. But Professor Zink does not rule out that Tutankhamun could have sustained a serious injury while riding in a chariot.
Zink doubts the idea that the pharaoh was intoxicated while riding a chariot. He adds that, given the advanced stage of bone necrosis in Tutankhamun’s foot, it’s hard to imagine he could have stood while riding. The pharaoh did have a leg fracture, but the exact cause of the injury remains undetermined.
Aziz partly acknowledges Zink’s points. She says we may never know exactly how Egypt’s most famous pharaoh died; only new discoveries about the condition of his internal organs might shed more light.
