30
The Amazing
Discovery
of King Tut
Egypt is full of really exciting and ancient
discoveries, but the most famous is the tomb of
King Tutankhamun (King Tut). Howard Carter
and another English archaeologist spent years
looking for the tomb. In 1922, Carter found it, after
someone discovered an artefact with the king's
name on it near the site. Inside the tomb, Carter
found hundreds of gold objects, more than 3,000
treasures and – most importantly – King Tut's mummy.
Although King Tut was buried over 3,000 years ago, his DNA was perfectly
preserved. Later, Dr Zahi Hawass, a famous Egyptian archaeologist, moved
the artefacts and the mummy to a museum.
Who was King Tut? He was an Egyptian boy who became a ruler in
1333
bce – at the age of nine. We know from the date of some artefacts
that he ruled until he died in 1323
bce. Tut was buried with all the objects
he would need in his next life. Why did he die so young? The cause of his
death is not known. In 1968, his mummy was analysed by scientists who
found broken bones in Tut's skull. A CT scan of Tut's mummy in 2006
showed that he broke his leg before he died. A DNA test showed that he had
malaria. No one knows how he died. History's a mystery!
Listen and read. TR: A18
13
STORY TIME: KING MIDAS AND HIS GOLDEN TOUCH
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