Ever since Howard Carter's discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in the Valley of the Kings in 1922, scholars have
speculated over why the 19-year old boy king died so young.
Some believe he was killed by a fall from his chariot,
conspiracy theories say he was murdered but scientists who
painstakingly studied the pharaoh's remains, think Tutankhamun died from
a bout of malaria that attacked his already weakened body. They say he had
a cleft palate and
club foot, likely forcing him to walk with a cane.
In the journal of the American Medical Association, lead scientist Dr Zahi Hawass says how he found
traces of the malarial
parasite in
Tutankhamun's blood along with signs of bone disease. The scientists'
DNA studies also suggest the true identity of the king's parents and
grandparents, something that has divided
archaeologists for decades.
Michelle Roberts, Health Reporter, BBC News
sumber:
BBC NewsVocabulary:
speculated over
guessed about
conspiracy theories
unproven beliefs about how something may have happened which is different from the official reasons
painstakingly studied
very carefully looked at and analysed every possible detail
the pharaoh's remains
what is left of the king's body following his death
a bout of Malaria
a period of sickness caused by a bite from a particular kind of mosquito
a cleft palate
a
person with a cleft palate was born with a very narrow opening inside
their mouth above their tongue, making it very difficult for them to
speak
club foot
a person with a club foot was born with one of their feet turned inwards, making it difficult for them to walk
traces of
extremely tiny amounts of
parasites
creatures, plants or organisms that live on or inside other larger beings to use them as food
archaeologists
people who study the past by looking at what is left of things such as very old buildings, tools and pottery