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TEXT 1 Tut Mystery Finally Solved? by Ann Ching

February 16, 2010

1 Ever since scientists discovered a bone fragment in King Tut’s

skull, there has been speculation that the boy king was

murdered. But other, more reliable evidence suggests that he was

simply a frail young man who had a severe form of malaria, and

suffered a leg fracture, all of which likely combined to cause

his death.

2 First of all, Tut most likely had genetic disorders. Researchers

have examined the DNA of Tut and several other famous

Egyptian mummies. The tests show that Tut’s father was the

controversial pharaoh Akhenaten. They also confirmed that

Akhenaten married his sister, a practice common in the royal

family because they believed it preserved their divine status.

This pairing was the likely cause of Tut’s genetic issues.

3 There is also evidence that Tut suffered from a disorder that

weakened areas of the bone. Detailed CT scans of Tut’s mummy

revealed that he had a cleft palate. The scans also revealed an

abnormally curved spine and a toe malformation that would

have caused pain and swelling. This sheds new light on the

100 or so canes found in Tut’s tomb—he probably needed them

to walk.

4 DNA tests on the mummy have also shown that disease may

have been a third factor contributing to Tut’s demise. The tests

revealed signs of a parasite that causes a severe form of malaria.

This indicates that Tut suffered from this terrible disease.

5 Put together, the evidence paints a clear picture of a young

man weakened by genetic disorders and disease. So, despite the

more intriguing idea that Tut was murdered, it’s much more

likely that he was just a very sick boy who died of natural

causes. Science and technology will confirm this sad tale and

finally solve this fascinating mystery


TEXT 2

A Case for Ancient Murder by Juan Moya

October 7, 2002

1 Since the 1922 discovery of the tomb of the pharaoh

Tutankhamen, better known as King Tut, people have been

fascinated by the young ruler, who was just 19 when he died. His

tomb and some of its contents suggest that his death was sudden

and unexpected. But was it illness, accident . . . or murder? If we

look at the evidence, it becomes fairly obvious that the boy king

met with foul play.

2 Tut’s mummy was damaged during its removal from the coffin

and casings, and the first expert to examine it in 1925 found no

obvious cause of death. However, when the body was X-rayed in

1968, a key piece of evidence was discovered: a piece of bone

floating inside Tut’s skull. Experts believed it could be evidence

of a fatal blow to the back of the young pharaoh’s head.

3 There were certainly people close to Tut who would have

benefited from having the king out of the way. Greg Cooper, a

former FBI profiler and police chief, and Mike King, head of a

police crime-analysis unit, have focused on a few key suspects:

Tut’s chief treasurer, his military commander, his wife, and his

prime minister.

4 Through the use of forensic science, and by studying historical

records and evidence from the tomb, Cooper and King were able

to rule out all suspects except Tut’s prime minister, Ay. Cooper

and King concluded that Ay had the most to gain from

Tutankhamen’s death since Ay went on to rule as pharaoh.

5 Whether or not it was Ay who killed Tut is still being debated,

but we can be fairly certain that the young pharaoh was indeed

murdered. Further investigations and technological advances

will soon prove that the young pharaoh did not succumb to a

tragic illness or an unfortunate accident. And even after over

3,000 years, the truth deserves to be known




1 Which fact about Tutankhamen do the two accounts agree on, but

interpret differently?

A He broke his leg not long before he died.

B He died when he was only 19 years old.

C He had damage to the back of his skull.

D His tomb was discovered in Egypt in 1922


2 Which statement best summarizes how Moya’s and Ching’s ideas

conflict?

A They disagree on who gained from Tut’s death.

B They disagree on the timing of Tut’s death.

C They disagree on the best experts to consult about Tut’s death.

D They disagree on the cause of Tut’s death.


3 Explain how technological innovations have led to discoveries about

King Tut’s death. Describe how technology led the authors to draw

conflicting conclusions about King Tut’s death. Use details from each

account in your response.