Tutankhamun may have died in drink-driving crash, bold new theory claims

We investigate a contentious new theory that the famous pharaoh was more active and mobile than previously thought.

By Noa Leach

Published: Friday, 09 June 2023 at 12:00 am

Key clues to the cause of Tutankhamun’s death may have been overlooked, an Egyptologist has controversially claimed.

While research over the last two decades found that the Egyptian King loved wine and potentially died following a chariot crash, a contentious new theory suggests that joining these pieces of evidence brings us closer to the truth.

Biomedical Egyptologist Sofia Aziz proposes that it was a wine-induced high-speed chariot crash that led to Tutankhamun’s infected open wound. That’s right, a drink-driving accident.

How sceptical should you be? Well, it is true that a major 2010 study concluded the pharaoh likely died from an open wound (combined with a weakened immune response due to malaria). However, the same research also suggested Tutankhamun had a clubbed foot that left him struggling to walk, let alone ride a chariot.

However, Aziz suggests that scientists have been wrong to profile the king as an invalid.

“He was like a typical teenager, drinking and probably driving the chariot too fast,” Aziz told BBC Science Focus during the Cheltenham Science Festival.

Much attention has been given to the variety of foods interred with King Tut, which were embalmed with resin to preserve them. “But people don’t think about the wine,” said Aziz. “In their tombs, the Ancient Egyptians would take the things that they wanted in the afterlife.”

According to Aziz, the majority of the king’s stash was dry white wine, suggesting that he showed a strong preference. He also had six chariots interred with him in his tomb.

“This new theory says that he’s more of a warrior king – that he did ride chariots,” added Aziz, pointing to how Tutankhamun’s tomb contained a breastplate and other armour.

Aziz argues that the fact most present-day road accidents involve teenagers is likely to have been the case back when humans were driving chariots, too. The 19-year-old’s leg would have hit the ‘dashboard’ of the chariot during the crash, causing the fracture described in autopsy reports and an open wound.

"Chariot
Chariot from the tomb of Tutankhamun, 14th century BC. © Art Media/Print Collector/Getty Images

But what about that clubbed foot? Well, Aziz disagrees with that previous finding.

“I think that we can rule out those disabilities,” she said, claiming that the mummification process may naturally distort a body to make it falsely appear like an individual has a clubbed foot.

This was not a view wholly shared by other experts contacted by BBC Science Focus. However, there are suggestions that Tutankhamun may have been more mobile than previously thought – even if he did have a clubbed foot.

As Prof Sahar Saleem, a professor of radiology and mummy specialist from Cairo University, said: “By examining the CT scans [of Tutankhamun], I do not find any evidence of ankle arthritis, which is a long-term effect of walking on the side of the foot. So my opinion is that the presence of this mild deformity [club foot] did not cause significant gait disturbance for the king.”

She added: “Tut’s foot condition did not prevent him from participating in activities. He was an active teenager.”

However, others disagree. These include Dr Zink Albert – head of the Institute for Mummy Studies at the Eurac Research Centre, and co-author of the previously mentioned 2010 study.

“I think the findings of our study are still valid, including the foot pathologies,” he told BBC Science Focus.

Referring to the CT scans taken at the time, Albert said there is “no doubt” Tutankhamun had a walking impairment, making it “difficult to imagine that he was able to ride a chariot in standing position”.

He added: “It is true that he suffered from a leg fracture. Although it is impossible to prove the exact cause.”

"Tomb
The tomb of pharaoh Tutankhamun, near the Nile river, Egypt © Getty Images

So, how did Tutankhamun die?

Ultimately, the idea that Tutankhamun died in a drink-driving accident is far from the consensus and ultimately remains a matter of speculation.

Will we ever know the answer for sure? Well, DNA sequencing could be the next step in learning more about his death. Previous studies on ancient DNA – which is heavily degraded – have been limited by available technology.

Last year (2022) marked 100 years since the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb, and another centenary approaches in 2025 when it will be 100 years since his autopsy. Tutankhamun’s internal organs have also never been examined.

“Because of the way that the autopsy was conducted in 1925, sadly, a lot of vital information has been lost,” Aziz said. “So even though we have conducted CT and we know some new things, there’s a lot of things that we can’t answer.”

The exact answer to the cause of his death is one of these. “I think I think we might never find out exactly how he died,” said Aziz, “unless they find something with the internal organs. I don’t think that we can find out anything more until then.”

Additional reporting by Thomas Ling.

About our experts

Sofia Aziz is an independent researcher in biomedical Egyptological studies. She recently published the book The Human Brain In Ancient Egypt and her research has appeared in Nile Magazine.

Dr Zink Albert is the scientific director at the Institute for Mummy Studies at Eurac Research in Bolzano, Italy. He has studied numerous mummies including Tutankhamun and Ramses III. He has produced over 300 publications, with research published in journals including BMC Biology and the International Journal Of Osteoarchaeology.

Dr Sahar Saleem is a professor of radiology at the University of Cairo. She participated in the CT scanning of the royal mummies including Tutankhamun, Amenhotep III, Tiye, Seti I and Ramesses II. She is the co-author of book Scanning The Pharaohs.

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