How did King Tutankhamun die?

Answer 1

The newest theory is he died from an infection due to a broken leg. The x-rays show that he did break his leg soon before his death.

Answer 2

The body was originally inspected by Howard Carter’s team in the early 1920s, though they were primarily interested in recovering the jewelry and amulets from the body. To remove the objects from the body, which in many cases were stuck fast by the hardened embalming resins used, Carter's team cut up the mummy into various pieces: the arms and legs were detached, the torso cut in half and the head was severed. Hot knives were used to remove it from the golden mask to which it was cemented by resin. Since the body was placed back in its sarcophagus in 1926, the mummy has subsequently been X-rayed three times: first in 1968 by a group from the University of Liverpool, then in 1978 by a group from the University of Michigan and finally in 2005 a team of Egyptian scientists led by Secretary General of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities Dr. Zahi Hawass conducted a CT scan on the mummy.

X-rays of his mummy, which were taken previously, in 1968, had revealed a dense spot at the lower back of the skull. This had been interpreted as a chronic subdural hematoma, which would have been caused by a blow. Such an injury could have been the result of an accident, but it had also been suggested that the young pharaoh was murdered. If this is the case, there are a number of theories as to who was responsible: one popular candidate was his immediate successor Ay (other candidates included his wife and chariot-driver). Interestingly, there are seemingly signs of calcification within the supposed injury, which if true meant Tutankhamun lived for a fairly extensive period of time (on the order of several months) after the injury was inflicted.

Much confusion had been caused by a small loose sliver of bone within the upper cranial cavity, which was discovered from the same X-ray analysis. Some people have mistaken this visible bone fragment for the supposed head injury. In fact, since Tutankhamun's brain was removed post mortem in the mummification process, and considerable quantities of now-hardened resin introduced into the skull on at least two separate occasions after that, had the fragment resulted from a pre-mortem injury, it almost certainly would not still be loose in the cranial cavity. It therefore almost certainly represented post-mummification damage.

You could get more information from the link below...

Answer 3

For the theory of his skull dented there has been rumors that he was hit in the head with a blunt object or fell from a cheriot which caused his death. Also it has been suggested that he may have died from a number of disease but they are in the process of testing those theroys. Try going to Discoverychannel.com and look for information about King Tutankhamun. Good luck.

Answer 4

According to Zahi Hawass, and The National Geographic Society(which funded the most recent CT scans et. all) --There is no conclusive evidence that explains why King Tutankhamen died. Experts can't say for sure because of difficulties in distinguishing between possible injuries to Tut while alive and the damage Howard Carter's team did to the mummy in 1922-23.

For instance, some scholars believe that a fracture above the left knee was Carter's fault. Others think it may be the result of an accident or assault that led to Tut's demise after a virulent infection set in and spread. And still others believe that he died from a form of influenza or some such illness.

http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0506/feature1/

Answer 5

Tutankhamun men originally "TutankhATEN" , died aged between 19-22. A bestselling book, and a Discovery Channel miniseries speculated (there's no other word for it) that he was killed by a member of his entourage, or even his wife. Recent forensic exams show zero evidence of trauma to the skull.
He most likely died of illness, or infection from an accident.
Although to us in the 21st Century, dying at that age seems young,keep in mind the average life expectancy for an ancient person was about 35. So he died earlier than the average, but not excessively so. (In modern terms males average about 77- he would've died at 64. Again young, but not unheard of.)

Answer 6

The latest autopsy suggest that he died from wounds suffered in a chariot accident. there was forensic evidence that pointed to strange leg and arm fractures consistant with a sudden and violent impact....it almost appeared as if he had been in a car accident . There was also a nice size hole in the base of his skull provoking many scientist to suggest that he was hit from behind with a blunt object and killed. This turned out to be totally false...the hole was drilled into the base of his skull by the ancient egyptian undertakers in what was a simple routine measure to drain the skull of fluids.

Answer 7

Nobody really knows for a fact. It was believed that he may have died of a trauma to the head. This theory was recently refuted when it was theorized that the skull damage may have been caused during the embalming process. The bottom line is that no one really knows.