By Ellie Cawthorne

Published: Thursday, 18 August 2022 at 12:00 am


In the 100 years since his tomb was discovered, Tutankhamun has become the icon of ancient Egypt – a muse for fashionistas and movie-makers, a pop culture staple and a political rallying cry. But what deeper meanings do his glitzy treasures have for us today?

In the final episode of our series on the boy king, Ellie Cawthorne speaks to Professor Elizabeth Frood and Dr Heba Abd el Gawad to uncover how the way we think about Tutankhamun today exposes thorny issues about the treatment of Egyptian heritage, and whether it can even distort our view of Egyptian history.

Want to hear more? Browse more episodes in our podcast series on Tutankhamun’s life, death and legacy