The Egyptian Civilisation, despite being in existence 3000 years ago, continues to draw academicians, researchers and experts alike. It is still an enigma in terms of the rich culture, art, architecture and the burial methods used for the rich and the famous- now known as mummificationOne of the most famous and controversial image has been created of the reign of Tutankahemen also called the boy king. King Tutankhamen (or Tutankhamun) ruled Egypt as pharaoh for 10 years until his death at age 19, around 1324 B.C. Although his rule was notable for reversing the tumultuous religious reforms of his father, Pharaoh Akhenaten, Tutankhamens legacy was largely negated by his successors. He was barely known to the modern world until 1922, when British archaeologist Howard Carter chiseled through a doorway and entered the boy pharaohs tomb, which had remained sealed for more than 3,200 years. The tombs vast hoard of artifacts and treasure, intended to accompany the king into the afterlife, revealed an incredible amount about royal life in ancient Egypt, and quickly made King Tut the worlds most famous pharaoh.He is the only pharaoh known to have been depicted seated while engaged in physical activities like archery. Traditional inbreeding in the Egyptian royal family also likely contributed to the kings poor health and early death. DNA tests published in 2010 revealed that Tutankhamens parents were brother and sister and that his wife, Ankhesenamun, was also his half-sister. After he died, King Tut was mummified according to Egyptian religious tradition, which held that royal bodies should be preserved and provisioned for the afterlife. Embalmers removed his organs and wrapped him in resin-soaked bandages, a 24-pound solid gold portrait mask was placed over his head and shoulders and he was laid in a series of nested containersthree golden coffins, a granite sarcophagus and four gilded wooden shrines, the largest of which barely fit into the tombs burial chamber.By the time he discovered Tutankhamens tomb in 1922, British archaeologist Howard Carter had been excavating Egyptian antiquities for three decades. At the time of the discovery, archaeologists believed that all the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings, across the river from ancient Thebes, had already been cleared. Excitement about the new tombthe most intact ever foundquickly spread worldwide. Today the most fragile artifacts, including the burial mask, no longer leave Egypt. Tutankhamens mummy remains on display within the tomb, his layered coffins replaced with a climate-controlled glass box.Working with forensic archaeologist Dr Matthew Ponting, Dr Connolly used a scanning electron microscope to determine that the flesh had been burnt. Subsequent chemical tests confirmed that Tutankhamun's body was burnt while sealed inside his coffin. Researchers discovered that embalming oils combined with oxygen and linen caused a chemical reaction which "cooked" the king's body at temperatures of more than 200C. However, new research based on more than 2,000 computer scans and a genetic analysis of Tutankhamuns family, suggests that the boy king could never have ridden in a chariot because of his serious genetic physical impairments, including his severe clubbed foot, which prevented him from standing unaided. This is backed up by the discovery of 130 used walking canes in his tomb.

The mummy of Tutankhamun. Credit:Kenneth GarrettThe virtual autopsy revealed that only the fracture in his knee occurred before he died, while fractures in his skull and other parts of his body occurred after the boy king was already dead leading scientists to believe he may have succumbed to an inherited illness.