The Fascinating Story of King Tut

King Tut's Tomb

Mr. Curia's World History Class

It is one of the best preserved tombs ever discovered

King Tut's Tomb

King Tut was not an impactful pharaoh during his lifetime but has become one of the most well-known symbols and stories of ancient Egypt

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Records create relevance.

​King Tutankhamen

• Tomb was lost to history

• Rediscovered in 1922 by Howard Carter

• Hadn't been robbed

• Seal was intact​

The Death

• Son of Akhenaten

• Born Tutankhaten​

• Ruled for ​9 years

• Pharaoh at 9 years old​

• ​Restored old priests

The Life

Information = Impact

Primary sources lead to secondary sources.

Tutankhamen's Tomb Was Discovered at the Perfect Time for Maximum Impact

The tomb was discovered fully intact during a time when people were obsessed with Egypt, and photography and mass media allowed a level of access to information that was previously unknown. This created a level of fame for the public. For historians, the level of information they gained was invaluable as well.

Awareness can create importance.

Multiple Choice

Who was Tutankhamen's father?

• Thutmose II

• Akhenaten

• Ramses I

• Narmer

Poll

Was King Tut's life or death more important in why we remember him now?

• Life

• Both are important

• Death

King Tut as a Pawn

King Tutankhamen became the ruler at 9 years old. His father was hated by priests and he was crowned in their power center. He reigned for only 9 years and almost completely rolled back his father's policies.

It is hard to resist forces that control your life

• Lots of research done

• Several theories of death

• ​5'6", overbite, cleft palate

• Broken leg at time of death

• Malaria signs

  • Probably several rounds of infection​

• Also had a clubbed foot​

• ​

Life in ancient times was difficult in the best cases

Health Issues

Multiple Choice

Was Tutankhamen a healthy person?

• Yes, he was healthy and athletic

• No, he was sickly and had many health conditions

• We don't know enough to say for sure

Open Ended

Why is it so important for historians to do really intense studies of the complete sources that have survived?

Open Ended

Do you think that the surviving sources can distort our understanding of history because we only have access to partial records?