The Murder of Tutankhamen

by Bob Brier

"By the time you finish his intrigue-filled reconstruction of Tutankhamen's world--which includes such elements as teen-age love, religious heresy, the Orwellian rewriting of history and the desperate pleas of a terrified queen--you risk coming to care a good deal about the young Pharaoh's fate."--The New York Times
"The Murder of Tutankhamen observes the conventions of a a compelling victim, a batch of suspects (each of whom might be the killer), a vivid setting, and a climactic gathering wherein an ace detective produces the evidence that indicts the assassin. However, the detective and the story are actual here, and it is through forensic evidence and scholarly sleuthing that Bob Brier assembles his persuasive conclusions."--The Boston Globe
"Respected Egyptologist Bob Brier, specialist in paleopathology and host of the Learning Channel's acclaimed series "The Great Egyptians," believes it can. Skillfully combining known historical events with evidence gathered by advanced technologies, Brier has re-created the suspenseful story of religious upheaval and political intrigue that likely resulting in the murder of the teenage king Tutankhamen." --Booklist* (starred review)
"A fascinating blend of ancient history, forensic medicine, and ratiocinative detective work."--Kirkus Reviews

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Egypt, Biography, Archaeology, Historical, Egyptology

264 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1998

About the author

Robert Brier (born December 13, 1943), also known as Mr. Mummy, is an American Egyptologist specializing in paleopathology. A Senior Research Fellow at Long Island University/LIU Post, he has researched and published on mummies and the mummification process and has appeared in many Discovery Civilization documentaries, primarily on ancient Egypt.
Born and raised in The Bronx, New York, Brier earned his bachelor's degree from Hunter College of the City University of New York. From 1966 to 1970, he was on the research staff of the Institute of Parapsychology (formerly the Foundation for Research on the Nature of Man) in Durham, North Carolina, where he worked on such books as Parapsychology Today and Test Your ESP. He earned his PhD in philosophy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1970 and began teaching at Long Island University in 1972. He served as chairman of the philosophy department from 1981 to 1996 and has also served as the director of the National Endowment for the Humanities' "Egyptology Today" program. He was appointed Senior Research Fellow at LIU Post in 2004. In addition to his career at Long Island University, Brier has taught ancient Egyptian at The New School and Egyptology at Webb Institute for many years.
Brier has conducted research in mummification practices worldwide. He has investigated well-known mummies such as Tutankhamen, Ramses the Great, Vladimir Lenin, Eva Perón (more commonly known as Evita), and the Medici family.

In 1994, Brier and a colleague, Ronald Wade, director of the State Anatomy Board of Maryland, claimed to be the first people in 2,000 years to mummify a human cadaver using ancient Egyptian techniques. This research earned Brier the affectionate nickname "Mr. Mummy" and was also the subject of the National Geographic television special of the same name, which made him a household name. He is also the host of several television programmes for the TLC Network including The Great Egyptians, Pyramids, Mummies and Tombs, and Mummy Detective. His research has been featured in Archaeology Magazine, The New York Times, CNN, 60 Minutes and 20/20.
In 1999, Brier gave a series of 48 specially-prepared lectures entitled "The History of Ancient Egypt" for The Teaching Company. He later did another series of 12 lectures for them, focusing on "Great Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt". Brier is a recipient of Long Island University's David Newton award for Teaching Excellence.
He leads tours to Egypt for Far Horizons Archaeological and Cultural trips.

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this is a really cool, interesting book. However, it is outdated. New research has evidence to prove that Tutankhamen was not murdered. However, it goes into great detail about his life, his wife's story-which is really interesting. So I would recommend this book for the knowledge you gain concerning his life-Just ignore the stuff about his death. :)

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet another version of the so-called murder of Pharaoh Tutankhamen and this one reads more like a history book.

After an ambiguous stealthy scene of a shadowy figure creeping into the sleeping youth's bedroom, striking a vicious blow to the head and creeping away, the tale continues with the lingering slow decline of Tutankhamen until his death. The scramble to get a tomb finished and personal effects collected even as his body is mummified, ending with the funeral, last meal of the mourners and the Valley of the Kings being left.

Then we shift back in time to the unification of the Two Lands into Egypt. The dynasties that followed, the development of the three main supports of the government: the scribes, the priesthood/religion and the military. But the focus lands on the 18th dynasty, Tut's ancestors, and the radical changes of Akhenaten in the town of Amarna which in turn had his youngest son succeed to the throne and discard his father's changes.

Moving forward thousands of years and a basic overview of the exploration, excavation and the plundering of the treasures of ancient Egypt. Some of the more well-known names. The discoveries in the Valley of the Kings. Carter and Lord Carnarvon and the incredible find of a relatively undisturbed tomb (there were signs that it had been broken into soon after Tut's burial). The years dedicated to recording and removal of the thousands of artifacts.

Then the author comes in with his own questions regarding the death of the most famous Egyptian pharaoh - searching for the x-rays taken back in the 1920's. Actually looking at the walls of the tomb and comparing it to other painted royal tombs. Searching for other artifacts - the ring that celebrated the marriage of Aye to Queen Ankhsenamen, Tut's widow. The coffins of the mummified fetuses.

Brier tries to present an unbiased case for Tut's murder as well as the possible culprits - Aye, general Horemheb, an outsider - for both the defense as well as the prosecution. The most glaring evidence not only has Aye marry into the royal dynasty and assume the throne of Pharaoh but even later, Horemheb becomes pharaoh and dates his reign from the death of Amenhotep III, wiping out the reigns of Amenhotep IV/Akhenaten, Smenkare (Tut's half-brother), Tutankhamen and Aye. In turn, Aye and Horemheb, both commoners, made room for the next pharaoh to be a commoner, Ramses I, father and grandfather to Seti I and Ramses the Great.

Overall, an interesting book that allows the reader to make their own decision who may have killed Tut as well as giving many more details of the culture of ancient Egypt - for the poor as well as the skilled and royalty.

[Randee · Rating 4 out of 5]

My passionate obsession with all things ancient Egyptian, particularly the 18th century, particularly Akhenaten, has never diminished since I was around 7-8 years old. I found this book at a used bookstore for $5 and was thrilled to add it to my collection as Dr. Brier is a well known Egyptologist. As many others have stated, DNA has more or less proved that Tutankhamen, the son of Akhenaten and one of his sisters, was not murdered by his vizier, Aye; it's still an interesting book with some good pictures and presentation of why Tut could have been murdered. There will always be discussions and arguments about ancient Egypt but that is part of the fun. I know more about the royals of the 18th dynasty than I do some members of my blood family. This is written in a very casual, as opposed to scholarly, manner which makes it a fun and easy read. Dr. Brier also makes it clear that his conjecture about Tut's murder may very well be overturned at some point in the future as science becomes more sophisticated. A decade or so after the writing of this book, DNA testing was done on the mummy of Tutankhamen as well as some other royal mummies that points more conclusively to their relationships to one another, as well as diseases and other genetic based data. Poor Tutankhamen was the son of a brother and sister (incest was common among royals) and had several health issues. Tutankhamen was married to his own half sister, the third daughter of Akhenaten and Nefertiti. This may explain why his sister wife, Ankhesenpaaten, miscarried both of their daughters. What happened to Ankhesenpaaten? Her body has never been found. She married (unwillingly) the vizier who grabbed the throne after Tut's death and then, disappeared from history. There will always be mysteries to solve and I will never tire of reading about them.

[Hannah Mozingo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, I'm a history nerd - this book proves it. xD I originally thought this book was fiction, and so I was a bit disappointed when I found that it wasn't. However, once I started reading, my disappointment turned to engrossment (if that's even a word? xD) and I was hooked. This book is absolutely fascinating. It explores the history of Tutankhamen's predecessors and his short reign. It recounts the history surrounding the finding of his tomb and what has happened in the years since. It delves into the mystery surrounding his death and takes an analytical approach to narrowing down the murder suspects. This book is rich in detail and truly makes history come alive. I'll admit that though I'm a huge history nerd, ancient history isn't exactly an area of huge interest for me. But this book totally threw that personal preference down the drain. I can't emphasise enough how fascinating and intriguing I found this book! It gives an in depth look into a rich and complex period of history and I loved it. The only reason I'm not giving it 5* is because I only give 5* to books that are my absolute all-time favourites, or books that deeply touched me on a heart/emotional level. This book just wasn't that type of book. But I still found it absolutely engrossing and I highly recommend it to anyone looking to widen their knowledge of ancient Egypt or basically any lover of history out there.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ah, those silly anicents, leaving great treasures buried but forgetting to mark the X on the map. Poor Tut, he should've copyrighted his own death, considering how many people seem to make money off of it. Or maybe Egypt should've.

I must have seen the documentary that Brier did that inspired his book. I know I have seen his other specials. His like Simon Schmna, interesting to listen to but something about those mannerisms.

Brier's book is quite easy to read, and while he writes for an non-Egypt specialist, such as moi, he doesn't think his reader is an idiot. He presumes that a reader intersted enough to read his book knows something, so while he does give background infromation, it is like a refresher course. His style and tone are great; he is much better to read than to watch. He is very, very clear and painstakingly honest about when he guesses and when he knows for sure. Because Brier's allows the reader to access his (Brier's) fasination with Tut, the book feels very personal.

But this also weakens his argument. While Brier does an excellent job as a prosecutor in terms of his defendent, the problem is that one has the feeling, encouraged by Brier's honestly, that defendent is chosen simply due to Brier's dislike. In some ways, this is like reading Cornwall's Portrait Of A Killer: Jack The Ripper -- Case Closed. Though this comparsion is hugely unfair and slightly inaccurate. Unlike Cornwall, Brier is honest, brutally honest, about his prejudice and, more importantly, he consults and cites outside experts who owe him nothing, who don't work for him, and have no reason to curry his favor. Which makes him much better than Cornwall because even though he has predjudices and goes into the case with a theory to prove and not discover, he at least admits it, constantly.

[The Badger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this ages ago, imagining a strong, virile king cut down in his prime. However, over 20 years later, we now know that the young king had serious physical deformities, suffered from malaria, and was inbred. He would have walked using a cane due to a club foot. Even the theory that Tut was murdered is now in question.

This is a good reference to read regarding the recent CAT scan and DNA analysis:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/ne...

[Efe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sonradan çoğu yanlışlanan bilgilere dayanan, eğlenceli bir komplo teorisiydi. Zamanında epey tutulmuştu bu kitap ama artık okunacak bir tarafı kalmadı tabii.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read a few books about Tut, the rockstar of Egyptology. This was one of the better ones - it looks at his death from the point of forensics and makes an interesting case for murder. Better still, the books gives a great, interesting and detailed overview of the events in Egypt thousands of years before and well after Tut's death, including a good chunk on the Amarna period.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nicely written but the title is wrong. Less then 15 % actually is about the murder and who could have done it. The rest is about his life and his ancestors.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although his theories have been disproved in the past two years - the book is a great read and his material on the 18th dynasty is great.

[Ne Na · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a perfect blend of egyptology and forensic investigation! Interesting, enjoyable, entertaining. Really brings artifact and historical records to life.

[Tom Pinch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bob Brier has solved the artistic mystery surrounding the appearance of Akhenaten.

Marfan syndrome is a rare multi-systemic genetic disorder that affects the connective tissue. Those with the condition tend to be tall and thin, with long arms, legs, fingers, and toes. They also typically have overly-flexible joints and scoliosis. Bob Brier, Egyptologist, thought that perhaps this was the solution to the mystery of the appearance of Akhenaten: perhaps the pharaoh simply had the Marfan syndrome and, instead of worrying about his oddity (as many would do) decided that it was a sign that he had been chosen.

I think the answer is a psychological one. But how do you confirm a psychological theory about someone who has been dead for 3,000 years? I thought that if I talked to people with Marfan’s syndrome I might see how it affected their lives. How did they feel growing up different? Did they feel left out? Were they shunned?
A geneticist colleague working on Marfan’s syndrome suggested I talk to a New York chapter of people with the syndrome. I called the organizer of the group, Julie Kurnitz, to see if I could attend their meeting and try out my theory on them. I would give a brief slide lecture about Akhenaten and ask for the group’s reactions.
Most of the people who attended the meeting were women, many would blend in with any crowd; their physical characteristics were not extreme. But some could have been sisters of Akhenaten. Julie has classic Marfan features; she is tall with an elongated chin, narrow eyes, long thin arms, fingers, and toes, unusual features but not freakish. If anything, Julie is a handsome woman. Even before talking with the group, I revised my view of Akhenaten: he wasn’t a freak. You can look different without looking freakish. None of the women in the group had physical features that were shocking.
Julie introduced me to the group and I began talking about Akhenaten and showing slides. After the second slide, I began to hear a lot of “Yups,” and “Wows.” As I continued with slides of the elongated hands and feet of the royal family, there were even more exclamations—”Marfan toes!” They had found a kinsman from ancient Egypt.
After my talk I asked if any of the women had been treated differently when they were growing up, felt left out, had been shunned. And if so, how they had reacted. One woman said that as a child she was always told to stand in the back to hide her long hands when a family photo was taken. Another young woman with close-cut hair and wire-rimmed glasses told a similar story and then provided the insight I was looking for. She said she rebelled and did everything she could to accentuate her appearance, wore capes and strange clothing and bizarre makeup. Who knows what she would have done had she been king of Egypt.

Reading this has given me quite jump. You see this girl? I was once in love with a girl who looked just like that!

[Reading For Funs · Rating 5 out of 5]

After three long years, I finally received The Murder of Tutankhamen as a Christmas gift. I've been dying for this book since I took every available Great Courses course by Bob Brier. I am something of an addict when it comes to Egyptology, even if it has no association with my chosen course in life. There is something about the classes held by Brier, an energy that makes ancient history seem as if it is the most exciting topic known to mankind. Information is always easily digestible, and formatted in such a way as to be understandable and relatable. I was hopeful that the aspects that have made the classes so enjoyable would translate into this book as well, and The Murder of Tutankhamen did not disappoint.

The Murder of Tutankhamen is fantastic, based on forensic and as factual of information possible for 1998 in which it was published. Some information may, or may not be, accurate in the present day, but considering the date of publication, the information in The Murder of Tutankhamen is incredibly educational and all theories have both sides of the story portrayed. Even opposing ideas are given their spot in the limelight, before being fully disproved by the author's findings.

All in all, The Murder of Tutankhamen is all that I could have dreamt of and more. It was exactly what I had hoped for over the past three years and I am beyond thrilled to have had the chance to have read it. I surprisingly learned many small details about Tutankhamen and his ancestors as well as those who came after him, that I was pleasantly unaware of. The pictures included were educational, and unexpected, but a fantastic inclusion. I highly recommend this book to any Egyptology fans out there.

[Michael Joosten · Rating 4 out of 5]

The populist draw to read this book is the salacious idea of Tutankhamen's murder and Brier capitalizes on it, but even where science may have since invalidated his theory (an outcome he considered possible and prepares the reader to consider), his book remains eminently readable because it is also engagingly-written and a concise history of both Ancient Egypt through the dawn of the 20th Dynasty and of Egyptology through Howard Carter. Brier is able to open up for the lay reader a wealth of information about both while keeping his opinion of where the facts point squarely in the realm of opinion.

[Nicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flicked through this again, in the same vein as I flicked through the Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt book yesterday. Reread bits of it. I believe the actual theory is discounted now, due to more high-tech scans, but it's still interesting, because it doesn't solely seek to pose the theory that Tutankhamen was murdered -- there's a lot about his life, too, and that of Akhenaten (now confirmed to be his father, I believe?).

Very exciting stuff for me, when I was younger, and still interesting when I read it now.

['Aussie Rick' · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a bit off my normal reading taste but I found it to be a fun and interesting account of Ancient Eygpt and the circumstances surrounding the death of Tutankhamen.

I enjoyed it a great deal and it has sparked a desire to learn & read more about this period of history. If an author can inspire his readers to search out and learn more on a subject then his book has done a good job.

Overall it was an interesting and worthwhile read, buy a copy and enjoy!

[Cat. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of really interesting facts about the people, beliefs, & customs of the people around during Egypt's 18th dynasty. I now sort of understand the controversy of Tut's father Akhenaten.

The author goes off on a tangent and builds the case that Akhenaten had Marfan's Syndrome, which explains why his "portraits" are so different from the other art. And there is the murder plot....

Yeah. Good, well-written, and clear! Wish all Egyptian history was this easy to follow.

[Pam Baddeley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title of this book is rather sensationalist - and since its publication in the 1990s - it has been overtaken by new research which demonstrates that Tutankhamun probably died of complications of malaria plus an infection from a broken leg. But that aside, it is an almost journalistically easy read about the background to Tutankhamun's reign and ancestry. A brief history of Egypt sets the scene and the writer conveys well the likely feelings of the various participants when Tutankhamun's father, Akhenaten, jettisoned about 3000 years of belief in the old gods in favour of a monotheistic religion based on the sun's disk known as the Aten.

The book provides a useful grounding in the political and economic as well as religious situation of Egypt throughout the period from the reign of Amenhoptep III, Tutankhamun's grandfather, through to his various successors on the throne. The only thing it lacks is a mention of Neferneferuaten, who is now thought to have succeeded Smenkhkare, originally thought to be Tutankhamun's immediate predecessor. This would have been of interest since this character is thought to be a female King - second in Egyptian history as far as I know (Hathshepsut being the first) - and possibly Akhenaten's widow, Nefertiti. So I can't quite award a five star rating, but it deserves a very respectable four stars.

[Zoë · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy and engaging read that explains about Tutankhamun's ancestors and the world he was born into before really getting to the potential circumstances of his death. Very much a piece of popular scientific writing, but one that avoids sensationalism and provides nuanced insights supported by a balanced number of references and footnotes. The lack of a firm conclusion may be disappointing to some, but I found it appropriate, as the cultural upset surrounding Tut's rule felt very much more like the point of the story than his actual death.
Being a bit of an Egyptology geek with a love of documentary films I had already heard of a lot of the facts and theories contained in this book, although not often all together, or so thoroughly explained. Definitely recommend it both as an introduction to novices on the subject, and those who -like me- already have a general interest. It is perhaps a bit outdated by now, but no less interesting for it. Just a good reason to read more about ancient Egypt if you enjoyed this!

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve always been fascinated with the story if King Tut and with Egypt. I blame that fascination on reading The Egypt Game in elementary school. This book was written a lot like a textbook but with just enough fictional flare to keep it interesting. I was absolutely appalled by the damage done to Tut’s mummy by Douglas Derry. I try to tell myself that he knew no better but urgh...the things we could have known!

Of course, we now know that Tut is not the young, fit king described here. It is questiined if he was even murdered but...I doubt we will ever know for sure. I look forward to finding some other books on Ancient Egypt that capture my attention.

[Augustine Kobayashi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good, solid history writing, illuminating how ancient Egyptian economy and politics worked, and placing how all the events described in this book could be placed in historical context of ups and down of this ancient great power. If King Tut was murdered, it was not just random, isolated event caused by greed or ambition of some powerful men. That it actually opened a way for resurgence of Egypt is quite interesting.

[Paula Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is well written for the layperson. Easy to follow even if you have no background in Egyptology nor forensics. The theory is plausible and well supported. Other theories are considered, though not deeply. My only complaint is that most of the book was background. You don't get to the murder until the last 50 pages.

[Eden Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written! Educational, fascinating blend of theory and facts. Really immersive into ancient culture at the beginning and archeological in the details through the rest. Wonderful pictures, really captures the humanity and realness of another timeline.

[nelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wiele hipotez proponowanych przez Autora z uwagi na postępy w badaniach można uznać za jednoznacznie nieaktualne i błędne, jednak wciąż jest to klasyczna pozycja na temat okoliczności śmierci Tutanchamona (z podkreśleniem, że jest w niej zawarty stan wiedzy na rok 1997/98)

[Maria Ettlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting theory

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really interesting read.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, fun, and interesting read.

[Michael Weil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely aimed at the lay reader rather than the specialist, but still has very good arguments and presents evidence in an understandable way.

[Louise Pare-Lobinske · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was very good. It was too bad that later research came out and shed some doubt on this theory of Tutankhamen's death.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating read, loads of history leading up to the life and times of the most famous Egyptian Pharoah! Even with scientific advances, we may never know what really happened to King Tut.