Q:   Dear experts, Was the tomb of King Tut finished before or after his death? If it was finished before then someone must have been in on the planned murder, right?
John
A:   John, This is a really good question and points to your good "street-sense". In situations like this, we do want to know how much pre-planning was involved. In Tut's case, he was actually placed in Ay's tomb, which was smaller and not as nicely finished. Upon Tut's return to Thebes (today's Luxor) Tut had the construction of the tomb started. There was probably close to 8 years of work done on Tut's tomb at the time of his death and we speculate that the tomb was probably 80 percent complete.

At the same time they begun construction on Tut's tomb, they surely begun the tomb of Tut's nobleman and Prime Minister — Ay. Isn't it interesting that once Tut died and Ay had additional power, that Ay decided to place Tut in his own tomb. Eventually, Ay was buried in what was originally Tut's tomb.

Thanks for the great question!
Mike King

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Q:   Is it possible that king Tut could have committed suicide, instead of being murdered?
A:   Hi Sarah, Thanks for the question, and YES, it is possible that Tut may have committed suicide. In a death investigation like this, suicide is one of the 4 possible scenarios that we explore.

Our findings led us to believe that while suicide was POSSIBLE, it was not PROBABLE in this circumstance.

Best wishes as you explore this further.
Mike King

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Q:   By what means can you tell if this was a murder and not some terrible accident? Would the small piece of bone at the back of the head possibly have to do with the mummification process and not a "fall or blow"? I've watched the process on Discovery and as I understand it, when the brain was removed through the nasal passage a small piece of bone was shattered and went to the base of the skull and in many x-rays it shows up. If the skull were not showing any kind of damage such as a blow from a heavy object or fall, would not that small piece of bone be misconstrued as a break?

Polly
Dallas
A:   Polly, It would be very difficult to suggest this were an accident, or a murder if the case were based on the bone fragment that was discovered in the skull alone.

Keep in mind that if the ethnoid bone had become dislodge during the mummification process, it most likely would have been covered by the hot resins that were poured into the skull after the brain was removed. Instead, it appears that the bone was from an area near the eyes and most likely fell into its resting place as the body continued the drying process.

What becomes more important is the hurried manner in which Tut is mummified, the rushed tomb preparation and sloppy workmanship and the way he is erased from the minds of Egyptians and history. In other words, it becomes critical to evaluate what isn't said or seen as much or more that those things that are said or seen.

Thank you for taking the time to write.

Best wishes,
Mike King

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