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Tutankhamun: The Life and Death of a Pharaoh
The spectacular excavations at the Valley of the Golden Mummies in 1999-2000 captured headlines & rekindled fascination with ancient Egypt. In that spirit comes a critically acclaimed biography of the young monarch whose mummified remains & fantastic treasure constituted the greatest archeological find in history. His tomb was discovered in 1922. But lost in a frenzy of speculation--anthropological, scientific & commercial--was Tutankhamen himself. 3500 years earlier, the mightiest nation on earth had crowned a seven-year-old as its king, then worshiped him as a god. Nine years later, he was dead. In Tutankhamen, Christine el Mahdy finally delivers a coherent portrait of King Tut's life & its historical significance.
Foreword
1 The Archaeological Tutankhamen
2 The Historical Tutankhamen
3 The Real Tutankhamen
Suggested Reading
Index
Foreword
1 The Archaeological Tutankhamen
2 The Historical Tutankhamen
3 The Real Tutankhamen
Suggested Reading
Index
357 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1996
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 22, 2025
Tutankhamen: The Life and Death of the Boy King is as much an exploration of the Ancient Egyptian world and the 13th Dynasty as it is an exploration of Tutankhamen. This is both positive and negative. At times, the discussion on more general matters concerning Ancient Egypt, such as their religious concepts, was interesting. However, I felt El Mahdy too frequently branched off of her primary subject matter. This meant the book lacked a degree of flow and consistency.
One of the best things about this book is El Mahdy's clear love of the subject matter, which jumps out from every page. Her introduction in particular highlights her fascination with Tutankhamen from a young age. She seems to enjoy the mystery around Tutankhamen and his life, but sometimes this is taken too far with an inclination to consider every possible theory on his life, even when extremely unlikely. This is particularly seen when discussing his parentage towards the end of the book.
The book, although I'm sure well researched and accurate at the time of publication, has unfortunately in the three decades since become outdated in parts. The book as a whole is still in line with other more modern work on Tutankhamen, but is clearly outdated in regards to the figure of Smenkhkare, who is mistakenly considered to be the short-lived king after Akhenaten, when it was most likely Queen Nefertiti who ruled during this period.
The book also misleads the reader by claiming in its subheading to have 'solved the mystery of Tutankhamen's death.' This is a pet peeve of mine, as it seems like such a blatantly obvious tactic to increase sales. El Mahdy does not solve the mystery, nor does she even present a definitive theory on his death. She does, however, discount some theories, such as the idea that he was murdered.
Overall, this is a book written with a lot of passion and character; however, it branches off too frequently and often over-analyses improbable theories on Tutankhamen's life. Still, it provides some interesting commentary on ancient Egyptian life and what type of person Tutankhamen may have been.
One of the best things about this book is El Mahdy's clear love of the subject matter, which jumps out from every page. Her introduction in particular highlights her fascination with Tutankhamen from a young age. She seems to enjoy the mystery around Tutankhamen and his life, but sometimes this is taken too far with an inclination to consider every possible theory on his life, even when extremely unlikely. This is particularly seen when discussing his parentage towards the end of the book.
The book, although I'm sure well researched and accurate at the time of publication, has unfortunately in the three decades since become outdated in parts. The book as a whole is still in line with other more modern work on Tutankhamen, but is clearly outdated in regards to the figure of Smenkhkare, who is mistakenly considered to be the short-lived king after Akhenaten, when it was most likely Queen Nefertiti who ruled during this period.
The book also misleads the reader by claiming in its subheading to have 'solved the mystery of Tutankhamen's death.' This is a pet peeve of mine, as it seems like such a blatantly obvious tactic to increase sales. El Mahdy does not solve the mystery, nor does she even present a definitive theory on his death. She does, however, discount some theories, such as the idea that he was murdered.
Overall, this is a book written with a lot of passion and character; however, it branches off too frequently and often over-analyses improbable theories on Tutankhamen's life. Still, it provides some interesting commentary on ancient Egyptian life and what type of person Tutankhamen may have been.
January 11, 2023
I'm a huge fan of trawling second-hand bookstores, and it's not exactly an open secret that I'm currently researching old King Tut because Reasons. What I absolutely love is when I reach out for a book, see the gilt lettering on the spine, open it, and realise that this volume, despite the lack of dust cover, will be absolutely *perfect*. Such was the case with Tutankhamen by Christine El Mahdy.
I'm also an adept at Google-fu, so I was rather saddened to learn that El Mahdy passed away a good few years ago, and doesn't have much of a footprint. Which is a pity, because she makes some compelling arguments in her book that differ from the generally accepted conventions related to the Amarna Period and its direct aftermath.
Primarily, she posits that the Heretic Pharaoh Akhenaten was perhaps not so hellbent on destroying Egypt's pantheist religions in a vicious pogrom, and just that he was very much concerned with 'doing his own thing' so to speak, and the focus on Akhetaten weakened the grip of the other temples. It's an interesting thought. She also touches on the work of Howard Carter, his errors and triumphs, and also takes a stab at untangling the hot mess of lineages in the royal house.
Of course, and this is the case to this day, much of what the archaeologists suggest are theories – we simply don't have enough facts – and it's all but impossible to deal with overwhelming certainties when it comes to establishing what really happened to Tut – did he die of natural causes or did an ambitious Aye have him popped.
Whatever the truth of the matter, El Mahdy offers us a well-considered, fascinating deep dive into this period, and I'm most certainly going to keep my eye open for the handful of other books she brought out. What a pity that she died so young.
I'm also an adept at Google-fu, so I was rather saddened to learn that El Mahdy passed away a good few years ago, and doesn't have much of a footprint. Which is a pity, because she makes some compelling arguments in her book that differ from the generally accepted conventions related to the Amarna Period and its direct aftermath.
Primarily, she posits that the Heretic Pharaoh Akhenaten was perhaps not so hellbent on destroying Egypt's pantheist religions in a vicious pogrom, and just that he was very much concerned with 'doing his own thing' so to speak, and the focus on Akhetaten weakened the grip of the other temples. It's an interesting thought. She also touches on the work of Howard Carter, his errors and triumphs, and also takes a stab at untangling the hot mess of lineages in the royal house.
Of course, and this is the case to this day, much of what the archaeologists suggest are theories – we simply don't have enough facts – and it's all but impossible to deal with overwhelming certainties when it comes to establishing what really happened to Tut – did he die of natural causes or did an ambitious Aye have him popped.
Whatever the truth of the matter, El Mahdy offers us a well-considered, fascinating deep dive into this period, and I'm most certainly going to keep my eye open for the handful of other books she brought out. What a pity that she died so young.
November 24, 2014
No author who chooses to write about the 18th Dynasty, and in particular the Amarna period, can ignore three crucial questions: "whatever happened to Nefertiti," "just who the hell was Smenkhare," and "who were Tutankhamen's parents." Equally true, any speculations on these questions advanced prior to the 2010 announcement of the results of DNA testing on the remains of Tutankhamen and a number of other mummified remains, some previously identified (such the the mummy known as "the Older Lady, now identified as Tiye, wife of Amenhotep III) and some known only by the numbering of their burial chambres (such as KV55, often believed to have been Smenkhare) and KV35YL, also known as the Younger Lady), must be re-evaluated in light of scientific data unavailable when those speculations were originally made.
Christine El-Mahdy, writing before the DNA testing, proposes interesting, plausible, and, at least in part, still viable answers to the first two questions, and as many other Egyptologists had done, goes astray on the third. Through careful analysis of inscriptions dating back to Akhenaten's grandparents, El-Mahdy proposes a timeline consisting of a series of co-regnancies and intermarriages between the royal family and another powerful family of hereditary court officials which challenges many of the commonly-held perceptions of the politics of the Amarna period. Her elegant solution to the questions dealing with Nefertiti and Smenkhare (one also proposed by other Egyptologists) is that they are, in fact, the same person. Nefertiti disappears from inscriptions as Smenkhare, the mysterious figure chosen as co-ruler by Akhenaten himself, appears, they share many titles and epithets, and Nefertiti was a powerful queen who already shared many of the Pharoah's royal duties. Why did this change in her status, from Great Wife Nefertiti to co-ruler Smenkhare, occur, and why at just that time? El-Madhy, through analysis of regnal numbers and other time-sensitive data, concludes that Akhenaten, who was personally unsuited to kingship, a dreamer and philosopher, never actually ruled alone; that he was co-ruler with his father Amenhotep III for the first 12 years of his reign, and then co-ruler with Nefertiti/Smenkhare for the remainder of his reign, until his death. Nefertiti, having taken as a ceremonial Great Wife her own daughter Meritaten, then ruled alone for a few years following her husband's death, until both she and Meritaten disappear and Tutankhamen, now married to the last surviving daughter of Akhenaten and Nefertiti, comes to the throne, a boy king who himself will not rule long.
Nothing in the DNA findings invalidates any of this. What it does invalidate is El-Mahdy's theory that when Nefertiti became co-rulet, taking a Great Wife of her own, Akhenaten chose as his new official consort a secondary wife known as Kiya (who El-Mahdy identifies with a Mittani princess originally intended to be a secondary wife of Amenhotep III, but who arrived in Egypt after the older king's death) who gave birth in the following year to Tutankamen.
We now know that Tutankhamen's parents were the two mummies known as KV55 and KV35YL, and that the most commonly advanced interpretation of the DNA results indicates that these two individuals were full brother and sister, both children of Amenhotep III and his wife Tiye. The age at death of KV55 has been debated, sone estimates place him as young as 20, some as old as 40. Amunhotep had two known sons, Thutmose, who died in late adolescence of unknown causes, and Akhenaten. Unless there was a third unmentioned son (perhaps the mysterious Smenkhare?), KV55 is Akhenaton, as Thutmose died long before Tutankhamen could have been conceived.
It should be noted that a minority interpretation of the DNA suggests that KV35YL could have been, not Akhenaten's sister, but Nefertiti, who is thought by some Egyptologists (including El-Mahdy) to have been Akhenaten's first cousin and the daughter of a bloodline that had provided three generations of wives to the 18th Dynasty kings - a situation which could statistically have produced a commonality of genetic material in the same range as a sibling relationship.
El-Mahdy, while proven wrong in some of her conclusions by the DNA evidence, provides some interesting insights and theories about many of the other mysteries of the late 18th Dynasty. Her writing is accessible to a general readership and she explains many of the complexities associated with the questions surrounding the Amarna period with clarity. The book itself is a fascinating look at the processes historians and archeologists must go through in sorting through often conflicting theories and inconclusive evidence in an attempt to discover "what really happened" in any eta.
Christine El-Mahdy, writing before the DNA testing, proposes interesting, plausible, and, at least in part, still viable answers to the first two questions, and as many other Egyptologists had done, goes astray on the third. Through careful analysis of inscriptions dating back to Akhenaten's grandparents, El-Mahdy proposes a timeline consisting of a series of co-regnancies and intermarriages between the royal family and another powerful family of hereditary court officials which challenges many of the commonly-held perceptions of the politics of the Amarna period. Her elegant solution to the questions dealing with Nefertiti and Smenkhare (one also proposed by other Egyptologists) is that they are, in fact, the same person. Nefertiti disappears from inscriptions as Smenkhare, the mysterious figure chosen as co-ruler by Akhenaten himself, appears, they share many titles and epithets, and Nefertiti was a powerful queen who already shared many of the Pharoah's royal duties. Why did this change in her status, from Great Wife Nefertiti to co-ruler Smenkhare, occur, and why at just that time? El-Madhy, through analysis of regnal numbers and other time-sensitive data, concludes that Akhenaten, who was personally unsuited to kingship, a dreamer and philosopher, never actually ruled alone; that he was co-ruler with his father Amenhotep III for the first 12 years of his reign, and then co-ruler with Nefertiti/Smenkhare for the remainder of his reign, until his death. Nefertiti, having taken as a ceremonial Great Wife her own daughter Meritaten, then ruled alone for a few years following her husband's death, until both she and Meritaten disappear and Tutankhamen, now married to the last surviving daughter of Akhenaten and Nefertiti, comes to the throne, a boy king who himself will not rule long.
Nothing in the DNA findings invalidates any of this. What it does invalidate is El-Mahdy's theory that when Nefertiti became co-rulet, taking a Great Wife of her own, Akhenaten chose as his new official consort a secondary wife known as Kiya (who El-Mahdy identifies with a Mittani princess originally intended to be a secondary wife of Amenhotep III, but who arrived in Egypt after the older king's death) who gave birth in the following year to Tutankamen.
We now know that Tutankhamen's parents were the two mummies known as KV55 and KV35YL, and that the most commonly advanced interpretation of the DNA results indicates that these two individuals were full brother and sister, both children of Amenhotep III and his wife Tiye. The age at death of KV55 has been debated, sone estimates place him as young as 20, some as old as 40. Amunhotep had two known sons, Thutmose, who died in late adolescence of unknown causes, and Akhenaten. Unless there was a third unmentioned son (perhaps the mysterious Smenkhare?), KV55 is Akhenaton, as Thutmose died long before Tutankhamen could have been conceived.
It should be noted that a minority interpretation of the DNA suggests that KV35YL could have been, not Akhenaten's sister, but Nefertiti, who is thought by some Egyptologists (including El-Mahdy) to have been Akhenaten's first cousin and the daughter of a bloodline that had provided three generations of wives to the 18th Dynasty kings - a situation which could statistically have produced a commonality of genetic material in the same range as a sibling relationship.
El-Mahdy, while proven wrong in some of her conclusions by the DNA evidence, provides some interesting insights and theories about many of the other mysteries of the late 18th Dynasty. Her writing is accessible to a general readership and she explains many of the complexities associated with the questions surrounding the Amarna period with clarity. The book itself is a fascinating look at the processes historians and archeologists must go through in sorting through often conflicting theories and inconclusive evidence in an attempt to discover "what really happened" in any eta.
August 22, 2023
Christine El Mahdy heeft een groot talent voor schrijven over eeuwenoude geschiedenis. Ze heeft aangeduid dat ze al van kinds af aan zich investeert in de oud Egyptische geschiedenis. Dit maakt haar vele theorieën niet alleen vertrouwbaar, maar ook goed doordacht met decennia van tijd mee. Ze kan hiëroglyfen in precisie lezen, wat meeste rijke, oude, en bekende archeologen die zich investeren in hetzelfde vak niet kunnen, en zo grote fouten maken in het vertalen van belangrijke stukken.
El Mahdy heeft in dit boek - wat ik wel moet zeggen, heel langzaam te lezen was - meer dan honderden theorieën doorgezocht, bedacht en doorgegeven aan haar lezers. Al zeer zeker omdat dit boek is geschreven in een tijd waar DNA niet in gebruik was met archeologie, is het verwonderend hoe ver El Mahdy komt met haar theorieën. Niet alleen laat ze haar eigen theorieën zien, maar ze behandeld ook de theorieën van andere archeologisten, of ze er nou mee eens is of niet. Ze behandeld alle theorieën op een neutrale basis, en focust zich alleen maar op bewijs dat al op de hand ligt, en valt nauwelijks in fantasieën.
Waar ik het meeste respect voor heb is hoe El Mahdy een groot beeld schetst van de corruptie die zich plaatsvond, en nog steeds plaatsvindt, in de wereld van de archeologie; mensen die alleen maar dingen doen voor rijkdom, voor bekendheid, voor handel, zogenaamde "professionele archeologen" die belangrijke stukken geschiedenis stelen uit gevonden tombes om door te verkopen voor bakken met geld. Hoe Britse en Amerikaanse archeologen de geschiedenis van de Egyptenaren hebben gestolen om neer te zetten in hun eigen museums, hoe de Egyptische overheid maatregelen tegen ditzelfde probleem heeft genomen en hoe nog steeds mensen respectloos omgaan met diezelfde stukken geschiedenis die ze gezworen hebben zorgvuldig te onderzoeken. Ze vertelt een groot verhaal hoe Toetankhamon's tombe met 0% van enig respect is behandeld, en hoe op deze manier veel verloren is gegaan in het proces van onderzoek.
Nu het bekend is, door DNA onderzoek, dat Toetankhamon's ouders broer en zus waren, betekent dat gelijk ook dat El Mahdy's theorie daarop niet correct is. Maar is dat erg? Nee. Want het zal altijd de meest doordachte theorie zijn die ik ooit heb gelezen, en daar mag ze respect voor krijgen, ook al klopte het niet aan het einde.
El Mahdy heeft in dit boek - wat ik wel moet zeggen, heel langzaam te lezen was - meer dan honderden theorieën doorgezocht, bedacht en doorgegeven aan haar lezers. Al zeer zeker omdat dit boek is geschreven in een tijd waar DNA niet in gebruik was met archeologie, is het verwonderend hoe ver El Mahdy komt met haar theorieën. Niet alleen laat ze haar eigen theorieën zien, maar ze behandeld ook de theorieën van andere archeologisten, of ze er nou mee eens is of niet. Ze behandeld alle theorieën op een neutrale basis, en focust zich alleen maar op bewijs dat al op de hand ligt, en valt nauwelijks in fantasieën.
Waar ik het meeste respect voor heb is hoe El Mahdy een groot beeld schetst van de corruptie die zich plaatsvond, en nog steeds plaatsvindt, in de wereld van de archeologie; mensen die alleen maar dingen doen voor rijkdom, voor bekendheid, voor handel, zogenaamde "professionele archeologen" die belangrijke stukken geschiedenis stelen uit gevonden tombes om door te verkopen voor bakken met geld. Hoe Britse en Amerikaanse archeologen de geschiedenis van de Egyptenaren hebben gestolen om neer te zetten in hun eigen museums, hoe de Egyptische overheid maatregelen tegen ditzelfde probleem heeft genomen en hoe nog steeds mensen respectloos omgaan met diezelfde stukken geschiedenis die ze gezworen hebben zorgvuldig te onderzoeken. Ze vertelt een groot verhaal hoe Toetankhamon's tombe met 0% van enig respect is behandeld, en hoe op deze manier veel verloren is gegaan in het proces van onderzoek.
Nu het bekend is, door DNA onderzoek, dat Toetankhamon's ouders broer en zus waren, betekent dat gelijk ook dat El Mahdy's theorie daarop niet correct is. Maar is dat erg? Nee. Want het zal altijd de meest doordachte theorie zijn die ik ooit heb gelezen, en daar mag ze respect voor krijgen, ook al klopte het niet aan het einde.
July 11, 2007
Title in German:
Tutanchamun - Leben und Sterben des jungen Pharaos
The egyptologist Christine El Mahdy has written an absolutely interesting and really captivating book about the life and death of the famous young pharaoh Tutankhamen. But not only King Tut is the focus of her attention but also his whole family. Who were his parents? What happened to his predecessors Akhenaton and Semenchkare? Was Semenchkare his brother or was "he" maybe queen Nefertiti herself who has succeeded her late husband Akhenaton to the throne? What about the theory of Tutankhamen being murdered? Who had the most important resaons to accomplish such a deed - his supposed grandfather Eje or general Haremhab whose hate of the whole Amarna family was so great that he - after his coronation - destroyed every evidence of their lives? Christine El Mahdy doesn´t believe in the murdering of King Tut and the latest CT-Scan (2005) of his mummy shows she´s probably right (the scan reports you can find here: http://www.guardians.net/hawass/press... ).
I just couldn´t stop reading this book, you learn so many details, facts and probable genealogical relations between the members of the 18th dynasty. These people started to live in my mind – their joys, sorrows, triumphs, defeats, fights, lives and deaths (history geek that I am I can just not read enough about it). Furthermore the author tells you about things which are going on behind the scenes of archaology – not everything we learn about ancient egypt is "written in stone" but are only hypothesis biased by the views of the egyptologists.
If you want to take a look into Pharaoh Tutankhamen´s face here´s the link to his facial reconstruction: http://www.guardians.net/hawass/Press...
Finally sad news: the author of this very informative book Christine El Mahdy had fallen seriously ill and died February 2008.
Tutanchamun - Leben und Sterben des jungen Pharaos
The egyptologist Christine El Mahdy has written an absolutely interesting and really captivating book about the life and death of the famous young pharaoh Tutankhamen. But not only King Tut is the focus of her attention but also his whole family. Who were his parents? What happened to his predecessors Akhenaton and Semenchkare? Was Semenchkare his brother or was "he" maybe queen Nefertiti herself who has succeeded her late husband Akhenaton to the throne? What about the theory of Tutankhamen being murdered? Who had the most important resaons to accomplish such a deed - his supposed grandfather Eje or general Haremhab whose hate of the whole Amarna family was so great that he - after his coronation - destroyed every evidence of their lives? Christine El Mahdy doesn´t believe in the murdering of King Tut and the latest CT-Scan (2005) of his mummy shows she´s probably right (the scan reports you can find here: http://www.guardians.net/hawass/press... ).
I just couldn´t stop reading this book, you learn so many details, facts and probable genealogical relations between the members of the 18th dynasty. These people started to live in my mind – their joys, sorrows, triumphs, defeats, fights, lives and deaths (history geek that I am I can just not read enough about it). Furthermore the author tells you about things which are going on behind the scenes of archaology – not everything we learn about ancient egypt is "written in stone" but are only hypothesis biased by the views of the egyptologists.
If you want to take a look into Pharaoh Tutankhamen´s face here´s the link to his facial reconstruction: http://www.guardians.net/hawass/Press...
Finally sad news: the author of this very informative book Christine El Mahdy had fallen seriously ill and died February 2008.
November 16, 2017
Very good book, thought-provoking and insightful. This book is very interesting, showing us a glimpse of life in 18th dynasty Egyptian times. I have always been interested in Egyptology, and ancient cultures, and this book has given me a closer look into what life was really like in these times, rather than the sanitized version often seen in children's books. It also comes to the same conclusion regarding Tutankhamen's death that the most recent MRI results reached. Additionally it has a very good history on the Amarna period. Great book!!!!
April 23, 2022
Such a shame that a fascinating subject like Tutankhamen's life could be written in a long-winded and rather boring way.
One of the main reasons perhaps is because this book is quite dated with some ideas that have been in circulation for a while since this book has been written. For example, the theory that Smenkhkare was actually Nefertiti is presented as some kind of revelation when it is an idea that has already been presented in many books since.
I found the writing really dry and I just didn't really want to pick it up again.
One of the main reasons perhaps is because this book is quite dated with some ideas that have been in circulation for a while since this book has been written. For example, the theory that Smenkhkare was actually Nefertiti is presented as some kind of revelation when it is an idea that has already been presented in many books since.
I found the writing really dry and I just didn't really want to pick it up again.
July 31, 2017
A very interesting book that I have owned for a number of years, sadly the author has since passed away to update it. None the less it is interesting to read of the research the author has done and was not biased in doing so, of course, there is new evidence and speculation since the book has come out but it all gives you an open to mind to think your own theories.
March 28, 2020
Good book,well written with interesting ideas. Must say that since writing new things have been discovered, but still a great read.
April 12, 2022
El Mahdy's argumentation is detailed and meticulous. She presents the reader with an overview of the evidence in the form of the artifacts found in the tomb of Tutankhamen. She also outlines the `traditional' view of the Amarna period and proceeds to refute many of the traditional arguments using the evidence she has laid out. Her presentation of the so-called traditional view (Akhenaten as radical heretic, forced out of Thebes by the priests of Amun) is somewhat exaggerated and melodramatic, but it does provide a useful background for the presentation of her own views.
Many of the arguments she puts forward are cogent and persuasive. Evidence is carefully analyzed to suggest that Akhenaten's beliefs were in some respects not as radical as they appear, that the reign of Tutankhamen saw a co-existence between Atenism and more traditional religion. The possible events surrounding the succession on Tutankhamen's death are also methodically reconstructed from the evidence available.
Some of the major arguments in the book remain unconvincing, however. Akhenaten is supposed to have shifted the capital of Egypt to Akhetaten because he `wanted a place of his own'. After claiming that the priesthood of Amun could not have forced Akhenaten out of Thebes, whatever role they did play is left unexplored. El Mahdy rails against others who have speculated on the events of the Amarna period on the basis of mere shreds of evidence or have used modern concepts to interpret events in the past, but occasionally falls into the same trap herself. Her claims that Nefertiti was intent on establishing a female dynasty to succeed Akhenaten, that Akhenaten `lived for peace and brotherhood', that Ay and Horemheb made a power-sharing agreement on Tutankhamen's accession to the throne are largely speculation, but are presented as fact. This is unfortunate, as it tends to undermine the painstakingly thorough argumentation she presents in other areas.
All in all, the book is a fascinating engagement with the evidence available for the period. I thoroughly recommend it.
Many of the arguments she puts forward are cogent and persuasive. Evidence is carefully analyzed to suggest that Akhenaten's beliefs were in some respects not as radical as they appear, that the reign of Tutankhamen saw a co-existence between Atenism and more traditional religion. The possible events surrounding the succession on Tutankhamen's death are also methodically reconstructed from the evidence available.
Some of the major arguments in the book remain unconvincing, however. Akhenaten is supposed to have shifted the capital of Egypt to Akhetaten because he `wanted a place of his own'. After claiming that the priesthood of Amun could not have forced Akhenaten out of Thebes, whatever role they did play is left unexplored. El Mahdy rails against others who have speculated on the events of the Amarna period on the basis of mere shreds of evidence or have used modern concepts to interpret events in the past, but occasionally falls into the same trap herself. Her claims that Nefertiti was intent on establishing a female dynasty to succeed Akhenaten, that Akhenaten `lived for peace and brotherhood', that Ay and Horemheb made a power-sharing agreement on Tutankhamen's accession to the throne are largely speculation, but are presented as fact. This is unfortunate, as it tends to undermine the painstakingly thorough argumentation she presents in other areas.
All in all, the book is a fascinating engagement with the evidence available for the period. I thoroughly recommend it.
January 29, 2016
Tackling the ever present mystery of Tutankamen, Christine El Mahdy seeks to resolve the questions surrounding the strange end of the 18th dynasty and its subsequent attempted removal from history. While heavy in archaeology and academic, Mahdy's arguments remain accessible and she communicates the concepts and difficulties of interpreting the story of the tombs well.
While her theories are very interesting and well constructed, it has to be pointed out that a lot of them, especially concerning Tutankamen's death and parentage, are now out of date in light of new findings. But if you bear that in mind going in, I would highly recommend giving this a read; if anything it's a comprehensive introduction to the debate and is a good place to start for those that want to look into the subject.
While her theories are very interesting and well constructed, it has to be pointed out that a lot of them, especially concerning Tutankamen's death and parentage, are now out of date in light of new findings. But if you bear that in mind going in, I would highly recommend giving this a read; if anything it's a comprehensive introduction to the debate and is a good place to start for those that want to look into the subject.
March 26, 2012
Some interesting fact and theories.
The author presents the story as was believed at the time the tomb was discovered, and an alternative version using her knowledge and "evidence" to support her version.
I found I had to pay attention, for example Kings changing birth names once they became Kings, and the habit of naming children after predecessors. The book is filled with information regarding this period of Egyptian history explaining how some misunderstanding have occurred to due inaccurate interpretations of hieroglyphs. Truly fascinating, I would love to have seen more photographs in the book but it did not detract from the book.
The author presents the story as was believed at the time the tomb was discovered, and an alternative version using her knowledge and "evidence" to support her version.
I found I had to pay attention, for example Kings changing birth names once they became Kings, and the habit of naming children after predecessors. The book is filled with information regarding this period of Egyptian history explaining how some misunderstanding have occurred to due inaccurate interpretations of hieroglyphs. Truly fascinating, I would love to have seen more photographs in the book but it did not detract from the book.
April 21, 2012
Fourth book of the readathon!
It's hard, reading yet another book on Tutankhamen and judging exactly what I think of it. I've read so many, since I had a childhood passion for the subject. This one introduces the old theories and then amends them with new theories and shedding new light on the evidence: by this point, since I can't read hieroglyphs for myself, I don't know what to think. I can only say that Christine El Mahdy's theories seem convincing, and that at the very least it's interesting to read.
(It is quite a long and detailed read, though, so you have to be patient for quite a while before she even begins to discuss her own theories.)
It's hard, reading yet another book on Tutankhamen and judging exactly what I think of it. I've read so many, since I had a childhood passion for the subject. This one introduces the old theories and then amends them with new theories and shedding new light on the evidence: by this point, since I can't read hieroglyphs for myself, I don't know what to think. I can only say that Christine El Mahdy's theories seem convincing, and that at the very least it's interesting to read.
(It is quite a long and detailed read, though, so you have to be patient for quite a while before she even begins to discuss her own theories.)
March 8, 2016
It always seemed to me that Akhenaten got a bum rap. In this book, Christine El Mahdy gives an alternative view of Akenhaten's life and impact on Egyptian history, as well as a unique view of who Tutankhamen was and how his he actually met his fate. If you enjoy Egyptology, and want a clear, insightful look at the archaeological footprint that led to the discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb, this is it. You won't be disappointed!
December 19, 2015
Long and detailed, and can get a bit dry, but usually not boring. She has new and valid opinions, it's not just another book regurgitating accepted facts. However, she can come across as condescendding, and she has the confusing habit of explaining accepted theories as fact and THEN saying she disagrees. I had trouble tracking her actual arguments because of that.
January 12, 2009
Only fascinating for its subject, El-Mahdy's book suffers from a longwinded narrative and an awkward handling of the subject. There is valuable information here, but it must be gleaned through a long and torturous read.
August 13, 2010
A look at Tutankhamen's life, most interesting for the revelation of a bit of evidence that shows who his father was. Best for Egyptophiles.
For a more complete review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/content_11402...
For a more complete review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/content_11402...
July 23, 2013
The author did an outstanding effort of research to develop a history of that period but I found it difficult to keep track of the cast of people. Otherwise I would have given it a 5.
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November 28, 2008I started this book for a project but I like it so much i can't make myself stop reading it.
February 12, 2012
Interesting theories about the boy king and his family.
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