{"id":28642,"date":"2023-06-09T19:00:35","date_gmt":"2023-06-09T17:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sciencefocus.com\/?p=145618"},"modified":"2023-06-09T19:38:29","modified_gmt":"2023-06-09T17:38:29","slug":"tutankhamun-may-have-died-in-drink-driving-crash-bold-new-theory-claims","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/rss_feed\/tutankhamun-may-have-died-in-drink-driving-crash-bold-new-theory-claims\/","title":{"rendered":"Tutankhamun may have died in drink-driving crash, bold new theory claims"},"content":{"rendered":"

We investigate a contentious new theory that the famous pharaoh was more active and mobile than previously thought. <\/p>

By Noa Leach\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Friday, 09 June 2023 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

Key clues to the cause of Tutankhamun\u2019s death may have been overlooked, an Egyptologist has controversially claimed.<\/p>\n

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

Biomedical Egyptologist Sofia Aziz<\/a> proposes that it was a wine-induced high-speed chariot crash that led to Tutankhamun\u2019s infected open wound. That\u2019s right, a drink-driving accident.<\/p>\n

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<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n

However, Aziz suggests that scientists have been wrong to profile the king as an invalid.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was like a typical teenager, drinking and probably driving the chariot too fast,\u201d Aziz told BBC Science Focus<\/em> during the Cheltenham Science Festival.<\/p>\n

Much attention has been given to the variety of foods interred with King Tut, which were embalmed with resin to preserve them<\/a>. \u201cBut people don\u2019t think about the wine,\u201d said Aziz. \u201cIn their tombs, the Ancient Egyptians would take the things that they wanted in the afterlife.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Aziz, the majority of the king\u2019s stash was dry white wine, suggesting that he showed a strong preference. He also had six chariots interred with him in his tomb.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis new theory says that he\u2019s more of a warrior king \u2013 that he did ride chariots,\u201d added Aziz, pointing to how Tutankhamun\u2019s tomb contained a breastplate and other armour.<\/p>\n

Aziz argues that the fact most present-day road accidents involve teenagers<\/a> is likely to have been the case back when humans were driving chariots, too. The 19-year-old\u2019s leg would have hit the \u2018dashboard\u2019 of the chariot during the crash, causing the fracture described in autopsy reports and an open wound.<\/p>\n

\""Chariot\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Chariot from the tomb of Tutankhamun, 14th century BC. \u00a9 Art Media\/Print Collector\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

But what about that clubbed foot? Well, Aziz disagrees with that previous finding.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that we can rule out those disabilities,\u201d she said, claiming that the mummification process may naturally distort a body to make it falsely appear like an individual has a clubbed foot.<\/p>\n

This was not a view wholly shared by other experts contacted by BBC Science Focus<\/em>. However, there are suggestions that\u00a0Tutankhamun may have been more mobile than previously thought \u2013 even if he did have a clubbed foot.<\/p>\n

As Prof Sahar Saleem<\/a>, a professor of radiology and mummy specialist from Cairo University, said:\u00a0<\/em>\u201cBy 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

She added: \u201cTut\u2019s foot condition did not prevent him from participating in activities. He was an active teenager.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, others disagree. These include Dr Zink Albert<\/a> \u2013 head of the Institute for Mummy Studies at the Eurac Research Centre, and co-author of the previously mentioned 2010 study.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the findings of our study are still valid, including the foot pathologies,\u201d he told BBC Science Focus<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Referring to the CT scans taken at the time, Albert said there is \u201cno doubt\u201d Tutankhamun had a walking impairment, making it \u201cdifficult to imagine that he was able to ride a chariot in standing position\u201d.<\/p>\n

He added: \u201cIt is true that he suffered from a leg fracture. Although it is impossible to prove the exact cause.\u201d<\/p>\n

\""Tomb\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
The tomb of pharaoh Tutankhamun, near the Nile river, Egypt \u00a9 Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

So, how did Tutankhamun die?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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

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 \u2013 which is heavily degraded \u2013 have been limited by available technology.<\/p>\n

Last year (2022) marked 100 years since the discovery of Tutankhamun\u2019s tomb, and another centenary approaches in 2025 when it will be 100 years since his autopsy. Tutankhamun\u2019s internal organs have also never been examined.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause of the way that the autopsy was conducted in 1925, sadly, a lot of vital information has been lost,\u201d Aziz said. \u201cSo even though we have conducted CT and we know some new things, there\u2019s a lot of things that we can\u2019t answer.\u201d<\/p>\n

The exact answer to the cause of his death is one of these. \u201cI think I think we might never find out exactly how he died,\u201d said Aziz, \u201cunless they find something with the internal organs. I don\u2019t think that we can find out anything more until then.\u201d<\/p>\n

Additional reporting by Thomas Ling<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n

About our experts<\/h4>\n

Sofia Aziz<\/strong> is an independent researcher in biomedical Egyptological studies. She recently published the book The Human Brain<\/em> In Ancient Egypt<\/em> and her research has appeared in Nile Magazine<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Dr Zink Albert<\/strong> 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<\/em> and the International Journal Of Osteoarchaeology<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Dr Sahar Saleem<\/strong> 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.<\/em><\/p>\n

Read more:<\/strong><\/p>\n