Despite being arguably the most famous and recognisable figure from Ancient Egypt, surprisingly little is known about Tutankhamun, the young pharaoh who reigned for less than a decade and died as a teenager. Tutankhamun took the throne around 1332 BCE, aged eight or nine, and restored the traditional Egyptian polytheistic religion Ancient Egypt is most is known for. But, he was dead and buried by the time he was 18.
Studies of his body have suggested that he may have been suffering from a number of conditions due to inbreeding. A DNA test identified several members of Tutankhamun’s immediate family but revealed that his parents were full siblings – a common move at the time to ensure a pure royal bloodline. His untouched tomb was first discovered in 1922 by British archaeologist Howard Carter, filled with more than 5,000 artefacts, including his gold mask, which has become one of the most defining symbols of Ancient Egypt. This iconic blue and gold mask was found within Tutankhamun’s sarcophagus, so since its discovery, it has been assumed it had been made for him. However, some experts have started to believe this is not actually the case.
A team of researchers from the University of York think that the mask was never supposed to be his and was actually meant for someone else. This is because the burial mask has slots available for earrings.
Professor Joann Fletcher told a History Hit documentary that “research suggests that the King wouldn’t have worn earrings beyond childhood,” meaning that by the time he died, they would not have incorporated them into his death mask.
Studies of the gold in the mask also showed a different type of precious metal used on the face compared to the rest of the mask, as though the visage had been re-done quickly to prepare it for the new user. This has led the experts to believe that while the face we see today is supposed to be Tutankhamun’s, this was never meant to be the face on the original mask.
Instead, the experts believe the death mask was originally made for his stepmother, Queen Nefertiti, but it was given to him as much of his funeral was planned in a rush.
There are many signs which suggest that preparations for Tutankhamun’s funeral were not in place at the time of his death. This includes the tomb itself, which has been deemed very small for a pharaoh. One of the reasons Tutankhamun’s tomb went undiscovered for so long was due to its being so out of the way. While it is located in the Valley of the Kings, the standard burial site for New Kingdom pharaohs, it is located on the valley floor and is far less elaborate than other royal burials, likely due to his premature death.
Alongside the funerary mask, several walking sticks were found in Tutankhamun’s tomb, which supports the theory that the Boy King suffered from very frail health. CT scans and further analysis of his remains revealed that he had a clubfoot, a cleft palate and necrosis in his left foot. DNA testing also revealed he had contracted malaria multiple times, which, when combined with his other conditions, may have contributed to his early death.