GabyAccording to legends, the pharaoh of Ancient Egypt from the 18th dynasty of the New Kingdom, who ruled approximately from 1332 to 1323 BC, was actually not a sickly boy-king, but a “battle-hardened warrior,” reports the publication. Daily Mail .
Facts about weakness and bow-leggedness Tutankhamun that have entered the well-known historical folklore, were long supported by science: in the pharaoh’s tomb, more than 130 intact canes of various shapes and designs were found, which were previously believed to help the young ruler move around. However, now several independent experts are refuting the notion of Tutankhamun’s ailments.
For example, biomedical Egyptologist Sofia Aziz believes that precious staffs were a sign of royal lineage and power, and the clubfoot observed by scientists studying the pharaoh’s mummy may have occurred during mummification, when tight wrapping and the application of resin could have deformed the shape of the foot. She thinks that the middle bone of the left toe disappeared during the transportation of the pharaoh’s mummy, or was stolen by someone as a “souvenir.”
Ms. Aziz, who has studied over 50 mummies, summarizes: “On the long and straight leg bones of Tutankhamun, there are no signs of ‘stress’ that typically leave marks on the bones of a person who has limped throughout their life.”
Tutankhamun impresses enemies in a chariot (c. 1327 BC). Wood painting, Cairo Museum.
Dr. Campbell Price, curator of the Egypt section at the Manchester Museum, supports the idea that the notion of the sickly boy-pharaoh is likely a myth: “The discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb was made by archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922, and since then, the hypothesis of the pharaoh as a poor, limping creature has been known to everyone. But we sympathize with this boy-king because he was actually not what we might expect when looking at the golden mask.” Some items found in his tomb, such as leather armor and various weapons, also support the version of Tutankhamun as a warrior.
Let us remind you that Tutankhamun was the son of Akhenaten and ascended to the throne at the age of nine or ten. He ruled for a decade and died at the age of 18 for unknown reasons. During excavations in the Valley of the Kings in November 1922, British archaeologist and Egyptologist Howard Carter discovered stairs leading to Tutankhamun’s tomb. Cataloging just the items from the antechamber of the pharaoh’s burial site took several months, after which the archaeologist entered the burial chamber and found the sarcophagus with Tutankhamun’s mummy and a multitude of treasures.
