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7 Amazing Secrets About King Tut You May Not Know

Posted byBy Curtis Bunn | Published on: CommentsComments (1)

King Tut burial siteKing Tut’s Death Was an Accident

The speculation was that the boy king died at 19 from a blow to the head at the hands of a jealous rival. Studies by experts more recently have concluded that the damage to his skull likely came during the embalming process. That leaves a burning question: How did King Tut die? A 2005 study indicated that he broke his leg and developed an infection. One hypothesis is that he fell off a chariot while hunting, breaking his leg. Further, 2010 DNA testing suggested that Tutankhamen had malaria, exacerbating the leg infection that caused him to fall. These theories are not confirmed. There is also the speculation that he was felled by an enraged hippopotamus.
kingtutKing Tut’s DNA Is Closest to Sub-Saharan Africans

DNATribes, a genomics company that specializes in tracing individuals’ ancestry to certain global populations,  tested the published STRs profiles (DNA samples) of Tutankhamen and family. Their researchers reported that the closest living relatives of Tut and the mummies of his family members are sub-Saharan Africans, especially those from Southern Africa and the Great Lakes region.

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