This is an impressive scientific discovery made by Egyptian specialists. As revealed in a study published in the journal Frontiers of Medicine on Wednesday, February 17.
They found that a pharaoh died in battle after X-raying his more than 3,600-year-old mummy. Seqenenenre Taa II, nicknamed "the Brave One," ruled Egypt nearly 1,600 B.C.
During Dynasty 17 (1625-1549). In particular, he led Egyptian troops against the Asian invaders Hyksos, who are known to have been the first foreigners to conquer the Nile Delta.
Using three-dimensional images, the study by archaeologist Zahi Hawass and Cairo University radiology professor Sahar Salim.
Suggests that the pharaoh was killed by his opponents in an "execution ceremony" after being taken prisoner on the battlefield.
According to a statement from the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities. Analysis of weapons belonging to the Hyksos.
Which included axes, spears, and daggers, showed "compatibility with the wounds" of the mummy, and new bruises, previously concealed by the work of embalmers, were discovered, he said.
1. Several theories concern the mummy of this pharaoh
Through careful study of his bones, Egyptian scientists estimated that he "was 40 years old at the time of his death.
For decades, researchers have been trying to determine the circumstances of the death of this king, whose mummy, discovered in the late 19th century and preserved in Cairo.
Bears visible marks of wounds to the face,
using medical imagery on his remains since the 1960s.
According to various theories, the pharaoh was killed by the king of the Hyksos himself or murdered in his sleep by conspirators.
Others suggest that the poor condition of the
mummy could indicate that he was hastily embalmed far from the royal mummification
workshop.
The Age of Violent death was estimated to be around 40 years, by investigating the epiphyseal closure of all long bones.
The symphysis pubis surface features, and fusion of the Meta-and meso-sterna (stage 6 corresponding to 35–39 years)
2. More Details about the violent Seqenenre Taa Death
The causes of the death of Pharaoh Seqenenre Taa have always been particularly unclear.
His tomb was discovered by archaeologists in the 1880s, and it was not until the 1960s that the first X-ray of his mummy was obtained.
At that time, researchers concluded that the Egyptian king had died from several injuries, such as shattered bones in his forehead, nose, cheeks, and the base of his skull.
Because all the wounds were on his left side, the theory that he was murdered in the middle of the night.
While sleeping was quite plausible. In fact, one of the most recent mummies discovered in Egypt., had a golden tongue in his mouth to help the deceased communicate in the afterlife.
A very violent death
as a result of blows from different people.
According to researchers, Seqenenre Taa was killed very violently. A person standing before the kneeling king struck him on the forehead with a sharp, heavy weapon such as a sword or axe.
Another sharp weapon slit his right eyebrow.
Then, someone to the left of the pharaoh stabbed him with a spear that pierced his skull.
Sahar Saleem and Zahi Hawass explained that "each of these wounds is a potential cause of death, but the three together are almost certainly fatal.
In addition, Seqenenre Taa's remains have other, less serious injuries, but they still broke his nose, his right cheek and the orbit of his right eye.
It would also appear that the
author of the first fatal blow cut into the Pharaoh's left cheek, fracturing
the bone.
Researchers have said that King Seqenenre Taa probably remained on the battlefield for several days., before his remains were brought back to Thebes and prepared by royal embalmers.
Finally, the mummy of Seqenenrê Tâa has already been opened, but researchers are now able to unpack the mummies without touching them thanks to X-ray diffraction.
3. A look back at the latest discoveries: the Egyptian sarcophagi
The return of tourists is a matter of life and death for the Egyptian economy.
What better way to attract tourists in this period of confinement than by making them salivate with new discoveries?
Ah, if the Egyptian archaeologists could do the same with the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun!
What a wonderful advertisement that would be! The tourists would come, in spite of Covid-19! But for lack of thrush, we must be satisfied with blackbirds.
Hence the pharaonic staging organized this
Saturday to announce the discovery of a hundred sarcophagi in Saqqara!
In front of an audience of foreign journalists and many ambassadors, the Minister of Tourism., and Antiquities Khaled el-Anani thus welcomed the "great archaeological discovery" at the necropolis of Saqqara realized by a purely Egyptian mission.
Let us recall that this site which shelters the very first pyramid in the world, located at the south of Cairo is the cemetery of Memphis the ancient capital of Egypt.
It is, of course, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- The jackpot
In short, by drilling like Shadock, the Egyptians were sure to hit the jackpot.
Already, last October, the discovery of 59 sarcophagi in a burial pit had been announced with drums and trumpets.
So Bis now rehearsed with a hundred coffins from three burial pits as deep as 12 meters (40 feet). If it were not for Egypt, one might say it was Byzantium:
Indeed, most of the wooden caskets have retained their tenants, priests, and dignitaries from Dynasty 26 who gilded themselves in the rays of Ra just over 2,500 years ago.
Not the most glorious time for
ancient Egypt, admittedly. It was the Late Period, which ended with the
conquest of Alexander the Great's troops.
To make journalists salivate, the Egyptians opened one of the coffins that contained a mummy wrapped in a shroud covered with beautiful hieroglyphics.
In addition to these sarcophagi, excavations have yielded another 130 statues of various sizes, many covered with gold leaf, and several gilded masks.
Other
discoveries are to come, warns the secretary-general of the High Council of
Antiquities Mostafa Wazari.
Will this discovery be enough to bring back the tourists?
After all, the Ancient Egyptians were masters of containment?
