Discovering Tut: the Saga Continues - By A.R.

Williams
Introduction of the Lesson
Written by A.R. Williams, this chapter is about the last heir of the powerful Pharaoh Dynasty,
Tutankhamun, who died when he was a teenager after ruling for nine years. He died in a
mysterious way, this chapter throws light over all the possible mysteries – the curse, where his
tomb lies, his life and ultimately death. Egyptians believe that there is life after death and that is
the reason why the Pharaohs were buried with wealth and everyday use items.

An Overview of the Lesson:

Discovering Tut: the Saga Continues’ gives an insight into the mystery surrounding the life and
death of Tutankhamun, the last teenage ruler of the powerful Pharaoh dynasty that had ruled
Egypt for centuries. He was the last of his family’s line, and his funeral brought an end to this
powerful dynasty. Not much is known about his family. Tut’s father or grandfather, Amenhotep III
was a powerful pharaoh who ruled for about four decades during the dynasty’s golden age.
His son, Amenhotep IV shocked the country by attacking Amun, a major God, smashing his
images and closing all his temples. He changed his name to Akhenaten and promoted the
worship of Aten or the sun disk. After his death, a mysterious ruler, Smenkhkare appeared briefly
and exited with hardly a trace. When Tut took over, he changed his name from Tutankhaten to
Tutankhamun and restored the old ways. However, Tut ruled for nine years and then died
mysteriously and unexpectedly. In order to unravel the mystery of his death, King Tut’s mummy
was scanned after a thousand years, thus opening new perceptions regarding the cause of his
death. In 1922, his tomb was discovered by Howard Carter who used all kinds of means to
remove Tut’s mummy from the coffin. The ritual resins had hardened, thereby cementing Tut to
the bottom of his solid gold coffin.
Carter finally had to chisel the mummy away having no other option. Every major joint was
severed. In 1968 an anatomy professor X-rayed the mummy and revealed that Tut’s breastbone
and front ribs were missing. Such a revelation would not have been possible without
technological precision. This fact gives us a clue that Tut, in all likelihood did not die a natural
death. Tut’s mummy was scanned in 2005 under the supervision of Zahi Hawass, Secretary
General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities. The Computed Tomography Scan couldn’t
solve the mysterious death of Tut but gave us clues for sure.
The lesson also provides a comprehensive awareness of ancient Egyptian culture. The ancient
Egyptians believed that there was life after death. That is why the Pharaohs were buried with the
tremendous amount of wealth including things of daily use so that they could use them in their
life after death. It was also believed that gold would guarantee their resurrection.

Summary
Discovering Tut: the Saga Continues is a chapter which gives us an in-depth insight of
Tutankhamun, the last ruler of the powerful Pharaoh Dynasty in Egypt. He was a teenager when
he died and his death was a mystery. Some speculated that he was murdered. He ruled in Egypt
and its empire for centuries. In 1922, his tomb was discovered by Howard Carter, a British
Archaeologist. After 80 years, he was taken from his resting place for CT scan which offers to
solve the mystery of his life and death by creating a forensic reconstruction.
Tut’s father or grandfather, Amenhotep III, was a very powerful Pharaoh who ruled over a period
of forty years. His son, Amenhotep IV, thrived him and began the strangest period in the history
of Egypt. He promoted the worship of Aten (the sun disk). He changed his name to Akhenaten
meaning servant of the Atens. He also moved the religious capital from Thebes to the new city of
Akhenaten, called Amarna. Further, he attacked Amun, a god, smashed his images and closed
his temples. Another mysterious ruler succeeded him who died soon. Next, Tutankhamun, also
known as Tut, sat on the throne and ruled for nine years. He worshipped god Amun in the old
ways. However, he died mysteriously.
When Tut’s mummified body was discovered, he was laid with lots of gold, wealth and everyday
items like a bronze razor, games, clothes, cases of food and wine. Carter discovered him after
searching for many years. After researching on the treasures, he decided to investigate his three
nested coffins. Some parts of the Tut’s treasures in the tomb were already looted.
His tomb was rock-cut, 26 feet underground, which had wall paintings. On the outer coffin, Tut’s
face was gilded. In the first coffin, he found the garlands of olives, lotus petals, and cornflowers.
It showed that he was buried in the months of March or April. The third and final coffin put Carter
into trouble. The resins used to cement Tut to the bottom of the solid gold coffin was hardened
enough making it impossible to move. He put the coffin in the sun for several hours in hope for
the resins to loosen up but it didn’t work. Finally, he removed the resins with the help of chisel
and hammer. Carter felt he didn’t have any other choice as to if he hadn’t cut the mummy from
limb to limb, thieves would have looted the gold. His men first removed his head, then they cut
off every joint. After removing the body parts, they placed it on the layer of sand in a wooden box
and put it at the original place.
In 1968, the mummy was X-rayed by an anatomy professor, revealed few facts – his breast bone
and front ribs were missing.
Later, on January 05 2009, Tut was taken for CT (Computed Tomography) scan which takes
hundreds of X-Rays and creates a three-dimensional image. The night of the scan, the workmen
carried his body from the tomb in a box. They climbed ramp and stairs and lifted it on a hydraulic
trailer that held the scanner. The scanner stopped working which paused the procedure. After
using a pair of spare fans, the scan was finally done. After three-hours, his body was taken back
to his tomb where his body is resting in peace.

Lesson and Explanation

TEXT: He was just a teenager when he died. The last heir of a powerful family that had ruled
Egypt and its empire for centuries, he was laid to rest laden with gold and eventually forgotten.
Since the discovery of his tomb in 1922, the modern world has speculated about what happened
to him, with murder being the most extreme possibility. Now, leaving his tomb for the first time in
almost 80 years, Tut has undergone a CT scan that offers new clues about his life and death —
and provides precise data for an accurate forensic reconstruction of the boyish pharaoh.
Heir – Inheritor, successor
Laden – loaded
Speculated- form a theory without evidence
Tomb- an enclosure to bury the dead
Forensic Reconstruction – the process of recreating the face of an individual
Pharaoh- a ruler in ancient Egypt
EXPLANATION: Tutankhamun, also known as Tut, was a teenager when he died. He was the
last successor of his powerful Pharaoh Dynasty which ruled Egypt and its empire for centuries.
He was laid on rest, heavily loaded with gold. His tomb was discovered in 1922 which made the
world raise a question about what had happened to him and whether he had been murdered?
After almost 80 years, his body was about to undergo a CT scan which would give new
information and clues about his life and death. His face would be recreated with the help of a
procedure called forensic reconstruction.
TEXT: AN angry wind stirred up ghostly dust devils as King Tut was taken from his resting place
in the ancient Egyptian cemetery known as the Valley of the Kings*. Dark-bellied clouds had
scudded across the desert sky all day and now were veiling the stars in casket grey. It was 6
p.m. on 5 January 2005. The world’s most famous mummy glided head first into a CT scanner
brought here to probe the lingering medical mysteries of this little understood young ruler who
died more than 3,300 years ago.
Stirred – move or cause to move slightly
Ghostly – eerie and unnatural; unreal
Resting place- here, the grave
Cemetery- a large burial ground
Dark-bellied – dark in colour
Scudded across – moving quickly; it refers to the movement of the dark-bellied clouds
Veiling – to cover something
Casket- a small ornamental box or chest for holding jewels, letters, or other valued objects.
Casket grey – It means that the grey clouds were like a grey coloured casket which contained
the stars. The stars are like jewels which are kept in a casket.
Glided – quite, continuous motion
Probe – to investigate, find out
Lingering – long-lasting
EXPLANATION: A fast, strange and unnatural wind was blowing as King Tut’s body was taken
from his grave called ‘Valleys of the Kings’, an ancient Egyptian cemetery (The location of the
Valley of the KIngs is given in the image). Dark clouds moved quickly across the desert all day
long and later, they covered the stars. On January 5, 2005, at 6 pm, King Tut’s mummy which is
the world’s most famous mummy was placed in the CT scanner to investigate the mystery
behind his death which had occurred more than 3300 years ago.
TEXT: All afternoon the usual line of tourists from around the world had descended into the
cramped, rock-cut tomb some 26 feet underground to pay their respects. They gazed at the
murals on the walls of the burial chamber and peered at Tut’s gilded face, the most striking
feature of his mummy-shaped outer coffin lid. Some visitors read from guidebooks in a whisper.
Others stood silently, perhaps pondering Tut’s untimely death in his late teens, or wondering with
a shiver if the pharaoh’s curse — death or misfortune falling upon those who disturbed him —
was really true.
Descended – moved or gathered
Cramped – very small to fit into
Rock-cut - made in a rock by cutting it
Gazed – to look in surprise or in admiration
Murals – a painting or other artwork executed directly on the wall
Gilded – covered with a thin sheet or coating of gold
Striking- prominent
Whisper- to speak in a low voice
Pondering – think about something carefully
EXPLANATION: All afternoon, tourists visited the 26 feet deep, underground rock-cut tomb to
pay respect to the king. Mnay people stuffed into the small tomb and looked in admiration at the
murals on the walls of the chamber and took a look at the face of Tut that had been painted with
gold. While visitors read the guidebooks in a hushed tone, some stood silently, wondering about
his untimely death in his teen years. They might also be wondering if the curse of the pharaoh
which leads to the descend of misfortune upon the person who disturbs him is true.
TEXT: “The mummy is in very bad condition because of what Carter did in the 1920s,” said Zahi
Hawass, Secretary General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, as he leaned over the
body for a long first look. Carter—Howard Carter, that is — was the British archaeologist who in
1922 discovered Tut’s tomb after years of futile searching. Its contents, though hastily ransacked
in antiquity, were surprisingly complete. They remain the richest royal collection ever found and
have become part of the pharaoh’s legend. Stunning artefacts in gold, their eternal brilliance
meant to guarantee resurrection, caused a sensation at the time of the discovery — and still get
the most attention. But Tut was also buried with everyday things he’d want in the afterlife: board
games, a bronze razor, linen undergarments, cases of food and wine.
Futile – pointless; incapable of producing the result of something
Hastily – fast; swiftly
Ransacked – raid; go through a place to steal or damage something
Antiquity – age, oldness
Resurrection – restoration to life
Afterlife- life after death, based on the belief that the essential part of an individual's identity
continues to the next life after the death of the physical body
EXPLANATION: As Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of Egypt, leaned over the body to have a
look, he said that the mummy was in a very bad condition because of what the British
archaeologist Howard Carter did to it in the 1920s. He discovered King Tut’s tomb in 1922 after a
long search. The valuable treasures of Tut had been explored earlier too but surprisingly, they
were complete. The treasure found at Tut’s grave is the richest till date and has come to be
known as the Pharaoh’s legend. It has artefacts in gold which are eternally beautiful and as good
as new. Such artefacts still get attention. Tut was buried with things of daily use like a razor
made of bronze, games, linen undergarments and boxes of food and wine which he could use in
the next life.
TEXT: After months of carefully recording the pharaoh’s funerary treasures, Carter began
investigating his three nested coffins. Opening the first, he found a shroud adorned with garlands
of willow and olive leaves, wild celery, lotus petals, and cornflowers, the faded evidence of a
burial in March or April. When he finally reached the mummy, though, he ran into trouble. The
ritual resins had hardened, cementing Tut to the bottom of his solid gold coffin. “No amount of
legitimate force could move them,” Carter wrote later. “What was to be done?”
Funerary Treasures – the valuable things with which the king was buried
three nested coffin- three cofins placed one in another in order of decreasing size. The innermost
coffin houses the body of the deceased.
Shroud – a length of cloth in which a dead person is wrapped
Adorned – decorated
Garlands of willow – a wreath of flowers and leaves
Mummy- a body of a human being or animal that has been ceremonially preserved by removal
of the internal organs, treatment with natron and resin, and wrapping in bandages.
Ritual - here, the resins used in the ceremony of mummification
Resins – a sticky flammable substance that is insoluble in water
Legitimate - reasonable
EXPLANATION: Carter took a few months to record the treasures found in Tut’s grave. Then he
began investigating his three coffins which were nested one in another. In the first coffin, he
found a piece of cloth with garlands of willow, olive leaves, wild celery, lotus petals and
cornflower, which suggested that he had been buried in the months of March or April. When he
reached the third coffin, he was in trouble. The body had hardened due to the resins which had
cemented the body and it had stuck to the bottom of the coffin which was made of gold. Carter
wondered what to do next because no amount of force could separate the two.
TEXT: The sun can beat down like a hammer this far south in Egypt, and Carter tried to use it to
loosen the resins. For several hours he set the mummy outside in blazing sunshine that heated it
to 149 degrees Fahrenheit. Nothing budged. He reported with scientific detachment that “the
consolidated material had to be chiselled away from beneath the limbs and trunk before it was
possible to raise the king’s remains.”
Blazing – very hot
Budged – moved or shifted; a slight movement
Chiselled away – to cut something with a chisel
EXPLANATION: Carter tried to loosen the resins by keeping the body in the hot sun. He kept the
mummy in 149 degrees Fahrenheit heat for several hours but still, it remained stuck. He reported
that a chisel could be used to cut down the mummy from the limbs and the trunk so that Tut’s
body could be taken out of the coffin.
TEXT: In his defence, Carter really had little choice. If he hadn’t cut the mummy free, thieves
most certainly would have circumvented the guards and ripped it apart to remove the gold. In
Tut’s time the royals were fabulously wealthy, and they thought — or hoped — they could take
their riches with them. For his journey to the great beyond, King Tut was lavished with glittering
goods: precious collars, inlaid necklaces and bracelets, rings, amulets, a ceremonial apron,
sandals, sheaths for his fingers and toes, and the now iconic inner coffin and mask — all of pure
gold. To separate Tut from his adornments, Carter’s men removed the mummy’s head and
severed nearly every major joint. Once they had finished, they reassembled the remains on a
layer of sand in a wooden box with padding that concealed the damage, the bed where Tut now
rests.
Circumvented – find a way around; thieves would have found a way to tackle the guards and
remove the gold from the tomb
Inlaid - a decorative pattern on a surface
Amulet - an ornament or small piece of jewellery thought to give protection against evil, danger,
or disease.
Apron - a protective garment worn over the front of one's clothes and tied at the back.
Sheaths – a close-fitting cover
Iconic - something or someone who is a symbol or it represents some other thing
Adornments – ornaments
Concealed- hid
EXPLANATION: According to Carter, he had no choice other than to cut the mummy. He
believed that if he hadn’t done that, thieves would have removed the gold from the tomb and
would have looted it. During Tut’s time, the royal people were very wealthy and they had a belief
that after death, they could take the wealth along with them. For his life after death, he was given
precious collars, necklaces with decorative patterns, bracelets, rings, amulets, ceremonial
aprons, sandals, sheaths for fingers and toes and now, an iconic inner coffin and a mask. His
men removed his head and every joint of his body. After they finished, they reassembled the
remains in a wooden box with padding filled with a layer of sand to conceal the damage. It was
his new resting place.
TEXT: Archaeology has changed substantially in the intervening decades, focusing less on
treasure and more on the fascinating details of life and intriguing mysteries of death. It also uses
more sophisticated tools, including medical technology. In 1968, more than 40 years after
Carter’s discovery, an anatomy professor X-rayed the mummy and revealed a startling fact:
beneath the resin that cakes his chest, his breast-bone and front ribs are missing.
Intervening – occur in the time between events
Intriguing – to arouse one’s curiosity
Startling – unexpected or surprising
EXPLANATION: In the past few decades, archaeology has changed as it now focuses on the
details of life and the mysteries of death. Earlier, it was about focusing on the treasure. Now, it
uses more advanced medical technologies and tools for research. In 1968, an anatomy
professor X-rayed King Tut’s mummy and revealed that the front limbs and breast bone were
missing.
TEXT: Today diagnostic imaging can be done with computed tomography, or CT, by which
hundreds of X-rays in cross section are put together like slices of bread to create a three-
dimensional virtual body. What more would a CT scan reveal of Tut than the X-ray? And could it
answer two of the biggest questions still lingering about him — how did he die, and how old was
he at the time of his death?
King Tut’s demise was a big event, even by royal standards. He was the last of his family’s line,
and his funeral was the death rattle of a dynasty. But the particulars of his passing away and its
aftermath are unclear.
Computed Tomography – Also called a CT scan, it is a three-dimensional scan of a body with the
help of hundreds of X-Rays in cross-section together
Demise - death
death rattle - the gurgling sound produced in the throat of a person who is about to die
Aftermath – after-effects of an unpleasant event
EXPLANATION: Now with the advancement of technology, CT scan or Computed Tomography
can give a virtual image of the whole body. With the help of this technology, King Tut’s body
would be scanned to find answers to two questions – How he died and how old was he at the
time of his death.
His death was a shock to the royals also as he was the last person of his family and his funeral
indicated the diminishment of his dynasty. However, what happened after his death is still not
clear.
TEXT: Amenhotep III — Tut’s father or grandfather — was a powerful pharaoh who ruled for
almost four decades at the height of the eighteenth dynasty’s golden age. His son Amenhotep IV
succeeded him and initiated one of the strangest periods in the history of ancient Egypt. The new
pharaoh promoted the worship of the Aten, the sun disk, changed his name to Akhenaten, or
‘servant of the Aten,’ and moved the religious capital from the old city of Thebes to the new city
of Akhetaten, known now as Amarna. He further shocked the country by attacking Amun, a major
god, smashing his images and closing his temples. “It must have been a horrific time,” said Ray
Johnson, director of the University of Chicago’s research centre in Luxor, the site of ancient
Thebes. “The family that had ruled for centuries was coming to an end, and then Akhenaten went
a little wacky.”
Wacky –amusing in a slightly odd way
EXPLANATION: Tut’s father or grandfather, Amenhotep III, was a very powerful Pharaoh who
ruled over a period of forty years. His son, Amenhotep IV, succeeded him and began the
strangest period in the history of Egypt. He promoted the worship of Aten (the sun disk). He
changed his name to Akhenaten meaning servant of the Atens. He also shifted the religious
capital from Thebes to the new city of Akhenaten, called Amarna. Further, he attacked Amun, a
god, smashed his images and closed his temples. Ray Johnson, director of the University of
Chicago said it must have been a bad time for the empire as the family who ruled for centuries
came to an end and Akhenaten moved in an odd direction.
TEXT: After Akhenaten’s death, a mysterious ruler named Smenkhkare appeared briefly and
exited with hardly a trace. And then a very young Tutankhaten took the throne — King Tut as
he’s widely known today. The boy king soon changed his name to Tutankhamun, ‘living image of
Amun,’ and oversaw a restoration of the old ways. He reigned for about nine years — and then
died unexpectedly.
Regardless of his fame and the speculations about his fate, Tut is one mummy among many in
Egypt. How many? No one knows. The Egyptian Mummy Project, which began an inventory in
late 2003, has recorded almost 600 so far and is still counting. The next phase: scanning the
mummies with a portable CT machine donated by the National Geographic Society and
Siemens, its manufacturer. King Tut is one of the first mummies to be scanned — in death, as in
life, moving regally ahead of his countrymen.
EXPLANATION: Another mysterious ruler, Smenkhhare, succeeded him and died soon. Next,
Tutankhamun, also known as Tut, sat on the throne and ruled for nine years. He worshipped god
Amun in the old ways. However, he died mysteriously.
Tut is one of the mummies in Egypt. Whereas, until now with the help of the Egyptian Mummy
Project which started in 2003, almost 600 mummies have been recorded so far. King Tut’s
mummy was the first one to be scanned by CT under the next phase of scanning the mummies
with the machine donated by the National Geographic Society and Siemens.
TEXT: A CT machine scanned the mummy head to toe, creating 1,700 digital X-ray images in
cross-section. Tut’s head, scanned in 0.62-millimetre slices to register its intricate structures,
takes on eerie detail in the resulting image. With Tut’s entire body similarly recorded, a team of
specialists in radiology, forensics, and anatomy began to probe the secrets that the winged
goddesses of a gilded burial shrine protected for so long.
Eerie detail – strange image of Tut’s head as visible with the help of CT scan
Forensics – the application of the scientific method to investigate a crime
Anatomy – the branch of science which deals with the bodily structure of humans, animals or
other living beings
Burial – burying the dead
Shrine – holy place
EXPLANATION: The CT scan machine scanned the body by creating 1700 digital X-rays in
cross-sections. Tut’s head was scanned in 0.62 mm slices to record the tiny details. The
resulting image was very strange. A team of Radiology, Forensics and Anatomy experts started
examining the secrets of the grave that had been protected by flying goddesses for a long time.
TEXT: The night of the scan, workmen carried Tut from the tomb in his box. Like pallbearers
they climbed a ramp and a flight of stairs into the swirling sand outside, then rose on a hydraulic
lift into the trailer that held the scanner. Twenty minutes later two men emerged, sprinted for an
office nearby, and returned with a pair of white plastic fans. The million-dollar scanner had quit
because of sand in a cooler fan. “Curse of the pharaoh,” joked a guard nervously.
Eventually the substitute fans worked well enough to finish the procedure. After checking that no
data had been lost, the technicians turned Tut over to the workmen, who carried him back to his
tomb. Less than three hours after he was removed from his coffin, the pharaoh again rested in
peace where the funerary priests had laid him so long ago.
Pallbearers – a person who helps to escort a coffin at a funeral
Swirling – to spin or twist
Hydraulic lift – a lift that uses a machine to lift or move heavy objects with a pressure
Sprinted – ran at a high speed
EXPLANATION: During the night, workmen climbed up on the ramp and the flight of stairs to
carry the body from the tomb into the spinning sand outside. They rose the body onto a hydraulic
lift, then into a trailer where the scanner was kept. After twenty minutes, two men ran towards the
office nearby to bring two fans. The scanner was not working as the sand had entered a cooler
fan. The guard joked that it was because of the curse of the pharaoh because they had removed
his body.
Once the fans worked, the procedure was finished. The data was checked in case of any losses
and then technicians returned the body to the pallbearers who carried him back to his tomb. In
less than three hours, he was resting at the same place where the priests had laid him many
years ago.
TEXT: Back in the trailer a technician pulled up astonishing images of Tut on a computer
screen. A grey head took shape from a scattering of pixels, and the technician spun and tilted it
in every direction. Neck vertebrae appeared as clearly as in an anatomy class. Other images
revealed a hand, several views of the rib cage, and a transection of the skull. But for now the
pressure was off. Sitting back in his chair, Zahi Hawass smiled, visibly relieved that nothing had
gone seriously wrong. “I didn’t sleep last night, not for a second,” he said. “I was so worried. But
now I think I will go and sleep.”
By the time we left the trailer, descending metal stairs to the sandy ground, the wind had
stopped. The winter air lay cold and still, like death itself, in this valley of the departed. Just
above the entrance to Tut’s tomb.
stood Orion — the constellation that the ancient Egyptians knew as the soul of Osiris, the god of
the afterlife — watching over the boy king.
Astonishing – amazing
Pixels - a pixel is a single point in a graphic image
Spun – to turn around
Vertebrae – series of small bones which form a backbone
EXPLANATION: In the trailer, the technician showed a beautiful image of Tut on a computer
screen. He showed the grey head which was scattered in pixels and he spun it around. Next, the
vertebrae, hand, rib cage, and transection of his skull were shown. As the work was done, the
pressure was finally off from the shoulders of Zahi Hawass. While sitting in his chair, he smiled
and said that he was relieved that nothing went wrong. He had not slept the previous night and
now, as the work was done, he would go and sleep.
By the time they left the trailer, the wind had stopped and the winter air was like death itself. Just
above the tomb the Orion constellation shone in the night sky, watching over the boy king.

Question and Answers

Understanding the Text
1. Give reasons for the following.
(i) King Tut’s body has been subjected to repeated scrutiny.
Ans: King Tut’s body has been subjected to repeated scrutiny because of his history, his
treasures which he was buried with and to know the reason behind his death.
(ii) Howard Carter’s investigation was resented.
Ans: Howard Carter’s investigation was resented because of his unscientific methods to cut off
his body from the tomb. He also focused more on Tut’s wealth and less on to solve the mystery
of Tut’s life and death.
(iii) Carter had to chisel away the solidified resins to raise the king’s remains.
Ans: Carter had to chisel away the solidified resins to raise the king’s remains because the body
was cemented to the bottom of the solid gold coffin as the resins had hardened. No force could
move the body away and keeping the body in the sun, under 149 degrees Fahrenheit also did
not help.
(iv) Tut’s body was buried along with gilded treasures.
Ans: Tut’s body was buried along with gilded treasures as the ancient Egyptian royals were
extremely wealthy. They also believed that the royalty would take all the treasures with them in
their afterlife.
(v) The boy king changed his name from Tutankhaten to Tutankhamun.
Ans: Tutankhamun means ‘Living image of Amun’. Amun was a major god of ancient Egypt.
Amenhotep III smashed and closed his temples, later Tut restored his temples and beliefs back
in his empire. That is why he changed his name from Tutankhaten to Tutankhamun to choose his
belief in the god.
2. (i) List the deeds that led Ray Johnson to describe Akhenaten as “wacky”.
Ans: According to Ray Johnson, the Akhenaten was wacky because of the following reasons:

i. He smashed and closed Amun’s images.

ii. He worshipped Aten, sun’s disk
iii. He moved the religious capital from the city of Thebes to the new city of Akhenaten, called
Amarna
iv. He changed his name to Akhenaten

(ii) What were the results of the CT scan?

Ans: The results of the CT scan were astonishing which was 1700 digital X-rays cross-
sectioning each other to make a three-dimensional image. A grey head appeared and his
vertebrae were shown. The images of the hand, ribcage, and skull were shown which were so
clear.
(iii) List the advances in technology that have improved forensic analysis.
Ans: With the advancement in technology, it has been made possible for many scientific tests to
be carried out in a more accurate way to determine the cause of a crime. X-Ray, CT scan, Post
mortem, biopsy, and autopsy are now possible.
(iv) Explain the statement, “King Tut is one of the first mummies to be scanned — in
death, as in life...”
Ans: Tut’s mummy was the first one to be X-rayed in 1968 and later, in 2005, the first to be
scanned through Computing Tomography (CT). CT scan revealed new three dimensional images
of his body which answered many questions.
Talking about the Text
Discuss the following in groups of two pairs, each pair in a group taking opposite points
of view.
1. Scientific intervention is necessary to unearth buried mysteries.
Ans: For:
To understand the mysteries and history of the past, it is necessary to unearth certain buried
mysteries. It can help get the answers to the questions and gives us an idea about past lives and
how they used to live. Example – the scientific intervention of Indus Civilization.
Against:
There is no doubt that scientific intervention can be useful but it exploits with the valuable assets
of the buried. We can utilize the money involved in the investigation of the mummies to help
develop the resources.
2. Advanced technology gives us conclusive evidence of past events.
Ans:
For:
With the advanced technology, it helps us to know about the past and those who were involved.
Such as through CT scan, it was possible to get an idea about King Tut and his body. It helped
solve mysteries about death. It provides data for forensic reconstruction and satellite images help
find burial sites. Through different software, date and time of an event occurred in the past can
be calculated.
Against:
After CT scan result images of Tut, still, no conclusion could be drawn. Instead of focusing and
using the time and money on past events, the government should focus on the present and
future.
3. Traditions, rituals and funerary practices must be respected.
Ans:
For:
Every religion has its own tradition, rituals and funerary practices which must be respected. It
should not be disturbed as Carter did with King Tut’s tomb.
Against:
There are many speculations made for ancient history, traditions, rituals and funerary practices
which should be cleared in order to know the truth. The people living in modern time should
follow anything which can danger their lives or make the conflict between communities.
4. Knowledge about the past is useful to complete our knowledge of the world we live in.
Ans:
For:
Knowledge of past events and important personalities help us understand where our roots are
from. It helps us to know how our modern world was formed gradually. From past experiences
and lessons, we learn not to commit the same mistake or we are gradually more alert. Knowing
about King Tut’s life and getting answers to the questions helped us understand Pharaoh
Dynasty and the Egypt Empire.
Against:
Always digging the past doesn’t help as it only wastes the time and resources. No one can
change the past and we cannot change what already has happened. So, we should focus on
what present and future will bring for us and we must work to make our tomorrow better. Ranting
about what happened yesterday cannot help us.
Thinking about Language
2. What do you think are the reasons for the extinction of languages?
Ans: A language can become extinct due to many reasons. If the world adapts with technology
and advancement, they make changes accordingly. Example, the Sanskrit language cannot be
seen used on a daily basis by people. However, in ancient times, it was a language used both
verbally and in writing. Also, if some level of restrictions is imposed on a certain class of people
not to use a language. It can become extinct gradually.
3. Do you think it is important to preserve languages?
Ans: Yes, it is very important to preserve languages as it helps us to understand our culture and
traditions. It helps in cultural development and it helps us to connect with the important past
events. It gives us knowledge about literature and the history of the language.
4. In what ways do you think we could help prevent the extinction of languages and
dialects?
Ans: We could help prevent the extinction of languages and dialects in the following ways:
1. By including the teaching of languages and dialects in school and college curriculums
2. By promoting the use of language and dialects verbally.
3. By conducting seminars and plays to pass the knowledge of the languages and dialects to
normal people.
4. By inviting people to take a few months course about learning languages and dialects.
Working with Words
1. Given below are some interesting combinations of words. Explain why they have been
used together.
(i) ghostly dust devils (vi) dark-bellied clouds
(ii) desert sky (vii) casket grey
(iii) stunning artefacts (viii) eternal brilliance
(iv) funerary treasures (ix) ritual resins
(v) scientific detachment (x) virtual body
Ans:
(i) ghostly dust devils – It refers to the anger of the dusty winds by frightful movements on those
people who tries to disturb the king.
(ii) desert sky – it refers to the dusky sky of the desert.
(iii) stunning artifacts – It refers to the beautiful items which were found in the tomb.
(iv) funerary treasures – the gold items which were kept while burying the king because
Egyptians believed that there is an afterlife.
(v) scientific detachment – it refers to the indifference towards science.
(vi) dark-bellied clouds – dark clouds containing rain
(vii) casket grey – It refers to the stars were covered by dark-bellied clouds the way jewels are
kept in a casket box
(viii) eternal brilliance – it refers to the timeless luster and shine of the gold and other valuable
items of the king
(ix) ritual resins – it is a customary duty in the process of burying a dead body
(x) virtual body – three dimensional body created by CT scan.