Historical mysteries: the "Boy King"

The latest episode in the thrilling archaeological drama that centers around the "Boy King" of Egypt, Tutankhamun (1341-1323 B.C.), was published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association.  After two years of DNA testing and CAT scans of his mummy and 15 others, it has been revealed that Tutankhamun most probably died from complications from a broken leg exacerbated by malaria.  This latest resolution to a 3,300 year old mystery revolving around the young Pharaoh, who briefly reigned over Egypt from ages 10 to 19, has also demystified some previous theories about his parentage and his reign in general.  The Guardian reports the findings here.

Tutankhamun, whose name was originally "Tutankhaten," ("Living Image of Aten") was generally believed to have been the son of the so-called heretic Pharaoh Akhenaten, although some scholars had advanced other theories of his parentage in recent years.  These most recent tests prove that he was indeed the son of Akhenaten and that his mother was probably Akhenaten's sister, although they have not yet decided exactly which of Akhenaten's wives that she was.  While this part of the mystery is still being studied, scientists have been able to conclude through these medical tests that he was frail, with multiple disorders including scoliosis, a club foot and a cleft palate.  Such disorders commonly result from genetic inbreeding. 

Neither Akhenaten, who tried to revolutionize traditional ancient Egyptian theology where many gods were worshipped in favor of one god, the "Aten" (sun disc), nor Tutankhamun, who ruled after his death, was much known to history before the 19th century discovery of Amarna, the capital city Akhenaten built for the Aten.  Amarna is said to be the only ancient Eygptian city where great details of its internal plan remain, in large part because it was abandoned after the death of Akhenaten, with administrative and priestly functions returning to the ancient capital of Thebes (Luxor). 

Following Akhenaten's death, the traditional religion was restored and his son's name was changed from Tutankhaten to Tutankhamun ("Living Image of Amun") to reflect this change.  Amun-Ra was the focus of the complex system of theology in Ancient Egypt.   But the discovery of Amarna, particularly with art objects such as the exquisite bust of Nefertiti,  Akhenaten's chief wife, and Howard Carter's 1922 discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb, with its nearly untouched treasure trove, have long fired our imaginations about the reigns of both of these Pharaohs.