University of York researchers uncover a hidden clue in the mask's pierced ears, suggesting the iconic piece was originally designed for a female ruler, possibly his mother Nefertiti
The death mask of the Egyptian pharaoh Tut Amun is one of the most recognized images in the world. At 53 centimeters tall, the mask is encrusted with a detailed mosaic of precious gems and bears a golden beard weighing 2.5 kilograms, making it one of the most iconic objects in history. But researchers believe that Tut Ankh Amon's ears hide a secret that was visible to all.
The mask was discovered in 1925 by Egyptologist Howard Carter, during his excavations in the tomb of Tut Ankh Amun, which was rediscovered by the excavation team in 1922 in the Valley of the Kings, near the city of Luxor. Carter's records are kept at the Griffith Institute at the University of Oxford, which was established 17 years after the discovery of the tomb, as a center for the study of Egyptology, and named after Francis Llewellyn Griffith, the first professor of Egyptology at the university.
The young pharaoh with the medical difficulties
Tut Ankh Amun, known as the "Child King", came to power at the age of nine and reigned in Egypt for about seven years, between 1332-1323 BC. He suffered from a number of illnesses, including scoliosis and a cleft palate, which are attributed to a close marriage between his parents, who were apparently brother and sister.
New research from the University of York suggests that the mask was not originally designed for the young king, but was intended for the royal burial of a woman - possibly Nefertiti, the stepmother of Tut Ankh Amun, who died before him, although there is no exact record of her death date. This theory is based on one central detail in the death mask: the pierced ears of Tut Ankh Amon.
Ear holes were a feature that usually characterizes death masks of women and children. Professor Joan Fletcher, head of the research team, noted in a 2022 documentary that "the research shows that the king would not have worn earrings after childhood, so at age 20, when he died, he would not have been shown with pierced ears." Fletcher described the pierced ears as "a long-neglected feature."
gold "implanted"
Comparing the types of gold in the mask revealed that the part covering the face is completely different from the gold used in the rest of the mask, which suggests, according to Fletcher, that the face of Tut Anach Amon was actually "transplanted" onto an existing mask, which was probably intended for the control of a woman.
However, there is no doubt that the mask reflects the image of Tut Ankh Amun, as death masks were considered essential to allow the soul of the dead to be reunited with his body for judgment in the afterlife by Anubis, the god of death and the underworld.
Theories about the death of Tut Ankh Amon
Fletcher believes that the mask was originally intended for his mother, pharaoh Nefertiti, the wife of Akhenaten, the father of Tut Ankh Amun. This theory was first put forward in 2015 by the British Egyptologist Nicholas Reeves. There is a scholarly debate as to whether Nefertiti ruled alone as pharaoh for a short period after the death of Akhenaten and before the rise of Tut Amun to power. Nefertiti's burial place has never been discovered.
The sudden death of Tut Ankh Amon, at the age of 19, may explain why it was decided to use an existing mask instead of ordering a new one. Theories about the cause of his death include murder, but it is now speculated that he died of malaria and an infection that developed following a serious chariot accident, in which he broke his leg shortly before his death.
This haste may also explain the paint stains on the walls of Tut Ankh Amon's tomb, which were still wet when the tomb was sealed.
The death mask of Tut Ankh Amon is currently on display at the Great Egyptian Museum in Cairo, which reopened last month after an 11-year delay.
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He was a transgender woman