![]() Hutan Ashrafian’s theory of epilepsy extends far beyond the death of a single pharaonic figure he posits that the epilepsy may have accounted for some major developments in the Egyptian New Kingdom. Rather than presenting an alternative form of death, the epileptic hypothesis presents a seizure-prone king, more susceptible to physical injury due to his illness. The legendary Pharaoh Akhenaten, Tutankhamun’s father, established a short-lived monotheistic reign at his new capitol, Amarna.Įpilepsy may have shaped more than just pharaonic physical features one of the leading theories of Tutankhamun’s death is based around a serious and infected leg fracture shortly before his death. Redford describes the ruler’s unique physique:Ībove all, Akhenaten had himself represented in a way that, even by the ancients, was not considered flattering: His skull seems malformed, with a lanternlike jaw and an over-heavy head on an elongated neck and spindly legs support his curiously feminine torso. In Aspects of Monotheism (full book available for free in the BAS Library), Donald B. The rebellious pharaoh is often considered the world’s first monotheist and was described by the great Egyptologist Henry Breasted as “the first individual in history.” Akhenaten is notoriously depicted in innumerable representations with feminine curves and Mick Jagger-like lips. Due to his short life, his representations are far less common than the widespread depictions of his father, Akhenaten. Tutankhamun was depicted with a feminine physique. Temporal lobe epilepsy is known to affect the release of hormones and sexual development. In the FREE eBook Ancient Israel in Egypt and the Exodus, top scholars discuss the historical Israelites in Egypt and archaeological evidence for and against the historicity of the Exodus.Īncient Egyptian Pictures of Pharaohs: Does Epilepsy Provide a Clue? While scholars tend to relate the deaths of these pharaohs to separate circumstances, Hutan Ashrafian suggests that the royal family may have had an inherited disorder: temporal lobe epilepsy. His closest relatives, including his father Akhenaten, his uncle or brother Smenkhkare and preceding 18th dynasty pharaohs Amenhotep III and Tuthmosis IV, all shared similar features and fates. Tutankhamun died at a young age with a feminine physique. A new theory by Imperial College London surgeon Hutan Ashrafian suggests that the studies of pharaonic death are too focused on the individual’s conditions, and may miss the big picture. While a CT scan in 2005 revealed an infected broken leg and a 2010 study of the mummy revealed the DNA of a malaria-causing parasite, the longstanding debate is far from solved. Howard Carter’s discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922 not only revealed the opulence of Egyptian antiquities, it sparked one of the greatest medical and forensic mysteries in human history. ![]() ![]() What may be the world’s most famous archaeological discovery has also sparked the great debate: what killed the boy king? Archaeologist Howard Carter examines Tutankhamun’s remains after his discovery in 1922. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |