Q:   Hi! I just finished watching the show on the assassination of King Tut. It was great, by the way!

Anyway, I noticed two puzzles that I do not believe were sufficiently answered in the program, and I was wondering if you could provide answers for them.

The first has to do with the hole on the side of his head mentioned at the very beginning of the program. Two possibilities were mentioned as to what the cause was (arrow or insect bite), but what do you and your team now think it may have been caused by?

The second has to do with the evidence that Tut's body was decomposing before mummification and the reference to the skull fragment, both having been mentioned as pointing to Tut's death being a result of falling off a chariot. If it is not believed that he fell off a chariot out in the field, then what accounts for these anomalies?

Deanna
Columbia, MD
A:   Deanna, I'm so pleased that you enjoyed the show. There is so much information that we tried to get across but just couldn't.

First let me address the possible hole on the left side of Tut's face. Dr. Rodin was filmed stating that he believes that the hole could have been swelling and damage from a mosquito bite, perhaps similar to the West Nile Virus we are experiencing in the United States right now. There has also been speculation that the wound was caused by an arrow. We are not sure of either finding and, in fact, we must consider these as possibilities, but they are not probable in our minds.

First, the arrow, if in fact an arrow pierced the side of Tut's face, it probably would have caused much greater damage on the exterior and most likely the interior regions.

We discounted the mosquito theory because, if in fact that might have caused Tut's death, we believe it would have taken some time for Tut to die and there is nothing to support a long-term death. More evidence suggests that Tut's death was a surprise.

Second, in the film, Dr. Grey discusses the possibility of the bone fragment coming from an earlier injury, not the mummification process and that in the course of the bone structure drying, the fragment fell into the place it now rests. Note that the resin pours in the skull had hardened before the bone fell into its resting place.

If in fact Tut had died in the field and started to decompose before getting back to Thebes, it wouldn't appear likely that the Egyptians would have gone to the trouble of starting the mummification process. Rather, they would fill his tomb with unguents etc. and bury the smelling and decomposing corpse. But that didn't happen! The resin pours in the head alone suggest that the normal course of mummification was underway and that someone stopped that process and disposed of Tut as quickly as was allowed.

I hope this helps and thank you for taking the time to watch the show and ask the question.

Mike King

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