22 October 2014

Tutankhamun


Rishi Iyengar has a Time article about King Tut and his parents:
A "virtual autopsy" conducted on the Egyptian king Tutankhamun revealed that he had several genetic disorders, most likely because of inbreeding, according to an upcoming documentary on the legendary pharaoh.
The Egyptian king, who ruled from 1332 BC to 1323 BC, is believed to have died at age nineteen from medical complications following a leg fracture in a chariot accident. However, a recently conducted “virtual autopsy” revealed that he had a clubfoot that would have made riding a chariot close to impossible, according to The Independent.
“It was important to look at his ability to ride on a chariot, and we concluded it would not be possible for him, especially with his partially clubbed foot, as he was unable to stand unaided,” said Professor Albert Zink, head of Italy’s Institute for Mummies and Icemen. However, Zink made it clear that a lot of research has yet to be done.
A simultaneously conducted genetic analysis of Tutankhamun’s family also revealed that his parents might have been brother and sister, resulting in genetic impairments that, Zink says, may have weakened him and contributed to his death. There were over a hundred walking sticks discovered in his tomb.
The new research is part of a BBC documentary called Tutankhamun: The Truth Uncovered, which will air on 26 October 2014.
Rico says one can only say (like the Brits) 'tut, tut', though incest was more common among royals of the period...

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