Researchers from the Institute for Mummies and Icemen in Italy have confirmed that King Tut's parents were brother and sister. As we have just learned, matings between full siblings result in a child with 25% of its genes being homozygous. The researchers of this study have concluded that this increase in homozygosity led King Tut to have the alleles for many genetic disorders. The study reports that King Tut had a club foot, which prevented him from walking. Evidence of his burial shows that there were also 130 canes buried along with him, further suggesting that he had this genetic disorder. Because of these conclusions from these Italian researchers, King Tut's death is being questioned. It was originally stated that he died from a chariot crash. However, the researchers are stating that he could not have been riding in a chariot with a club foot; therefore, there is no way he died from this kind of accident. Instead, the researchers are insisting that his increased levels of homozygosity (due to his parents inbreeding) led him to have a lowered immune system. Thus, he could have died from debilitating diseases, such as malaria (it was suggested he suffered frequently from this disease). The researchers are planning on furthering researching these issues and exploring possible reasons for his death.
I think it's really cool how this idea of inbreeding has led to a pharaoh's death being completely discredited. If this theory about King Tut's parent being sibling wasn't established, then everyone would still think he died of a chariot crash. Furthermore, it makes me question why he was originally thought to die from a chariot crash, even with a club foot? Was there something that was covered up? Or was it a mere lack of knowledge that led former researchers to believe this conclusion? Also, I just think this article is a cool way to further show how inbreeding affects offspring of human beings.
Original ArticleLearn More About King Tut
I think it's really interesting to not only hear about scientific findings, but see how they actually change our perception of history. I think it's really rare that new historical findings, and seeing them attached to science is cool. Anyway, it's super weird to think that we're doing genetic studies on a mummy 1,000 years old!
ReplyDeleteEgyptian history has always been interesting to me because Ancient Egypt is one huge mystery to all of us. Researchers have been studying everything from hieroglyphics to mummies to the pyramids for years and years are there is still an astounding amount of information that we don't know. I don't think digging up and destroying ancient burial grounds is a good thing, but learning all of this bizarre information about dead kings is really cool to me. Also, the Institute of Mummies and Icemen sounds ridiculously awesome.
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