King Tut died of malaria, bone disorder
Using the latest radiological and genetic techniques, a team of researchers from Egypt, Germany and Italy have determined that the boy pharaoh King Tutankhamun most likely died of malaria and a degenerative bone disease which also forced him to walk using canes, 130 of which (some with signs of wear) were found in his tomb.
The study, reported Tuesday, turned up no evidence of foul play, as had been suspected by some historians and popular writers familiar with palace intrigues in ancient Egypt. Previous examinations of the Tut mummy had revealed a recent leg fracture, possibly from a fall. This might have contributed to a life-threatening condition in an immune system already weakened by malaria and other disorders, the researchers said. [...]
The researchers said that several other pathologies were diagnosed in the Tut mummy, including a bone disorder known as Kohler disease II, which alone would not have caused death. But he was also afflicted with avascular bone necrosis, a condition in which diminished blood supply to the bone leads to serious weakening or destruction of tissue. The finding led to the team’s conclusion that it and malaria were the most probable causes of death.
Three other of mummies tested also had genetic traces of malaria tropica, the most virulent form of the disease, and several mummies shared a variety of genetic disorders like cleft palates, club feet and flat feet.
The mummies all seem to have been related to Tut. One was his father, Akhenaten, another his mother, Tiye, a third his grandmother, all of whom shared Tut’s blood group. The genetic testing indicates that Akhenaten and Tiye were siblings, and it’s thought Tut and his queen were also brother and sister, so it’s no surprise they are so many genetic disorders in the family.
There are more details about the methodology of the testing in this Scientific American article.
The Discovery Channel will be showing a two-part documentary of this study called “King Tut Unwrapped” on Sunday and Monday. You can see some clips of the shows on TDC’s website.
Now what will happen to all those conspiracy theorists – there was no blow to the back of the head, no poison, no foul play, just generations of inbreeding
And they did a remarkably effective job of it, too.
We all know who the mother of modern Europe is :
I’m a little confused by one of the details, you say that through genetic testing they believe that Tiye and Akhenaten were siblings, but Tiye was thought to be Tut’s grandmother, Akhenaten’s mother. As far as I knew, they were at least sure of the fact that Tiye was Akhenaten’s mother even if the rest of the family tree may be a bit scrambled. Have they discovered otherwise? This would cause a pretty big rearrangement of the Amarna dynasty.
After reading the article you linked to, I think they may have been referring to an unnamed wife of Akhenaten when they refer to his sister. Apparently his second wife Kiya is definitively not Akhenaten’s sister which means that either the body they found was that of Nefertiti or an unknown wife.
was he inbread and was his parnet if so thats why he had so many diseases
Yes, he was inbred as I noted in the post. That wasn’t why he had malaria, however.
flat feet is not a disorder get your info correct people!!!!!
king died cuz somebody murdered him thats what i heard
really in this other news, scientists found out maybe somebody killed King Tut because he forced the people go out into battle
i think that king tut is the best because he startin whae he was yung and he only died at the ang of 20 year old but how could blane hi what if rilly got kill and he didn’t do eny thing and sume one whats the throen and thats why i an a 6th grander at kms and we lend from mr humfery that king tut proby was killed ang so he toled us that we will all whach a movey on king tut and see if he was illed or not and they foned a skab on the left cheke and betey thw erey that grost me out but that was not that bad the wahy that the people that bered king tut did a bad job on it and they did it in a herey thats why but thats not their fallt all king tuts stuf was gest thrin in their but thats no what to tret a ferow.
if u lived when he was alive, of came ur head if u said tht to him
Im from Kelly school ma, I love the history of king Tut! Its interesting to learn it.
inbreeding has not been proven, but anyone that believes they can determine the nature and cause of the death of a 3000 year old person is…
The image is not accurate because the noses don’t match up. The mummy’s nose is flat and wider than the image on the left.
Yes well, noses are mostly cartilage. It gets squishy over 3000 years, even when mummified.