14 - 20 December 2000
Issue No.512
|
Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 14 - 20 December 2000 Issue No.512 |
||
| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 | Current issue | Previous issue | Site map | ||
Identity crisis
When Tutankhamun's tomb was discovered in the Valley of Kings near Luxor in November 1922, also found were 5,000 perfectly-preserved artefacts. They told the world much about his life and times. However, they also left many questions unanswered, particularly regarding the reasons for his death at the early age of 18.
The king's undetermined lineage is now, once again, the focus of inquiry. Earlier this month, Tokyo's Waseda University offered to conduct a DNA test on his mummified remains to try to determine his royal ancestry. A joint Egyptian-Japanese archaeological team is to open the boy-king's coffin for the first time in 30 years to take samples of hair, bone and intestines from his mummified body in order to identity his father. At the moment, there appears to be two possibilities: Amenhotep III or Akhenaten.
The plan has triggered controversy amongst Egyptologists. Some describe it as a media gimmick, while others believe it could provide more information about the lives of Pharaohs. "Our target is simply to map out the lineage of this mysterious king," a Waseda University spokesman told Al-AhramWeekly.
Explaining the delay, Gaballa Ali Gaballa, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), recently said that it "does not mean that the DNA testing will not be executed. They have been postponed until security clearances needed to start the work are obtained."
He argued that it is very beneficial to use modern technology in archaeological research which, he believes, will help Egyptologists acquire more information about this mysterious era that featured some of Egypt's most famous kings and queens such as Akhnaten, Amenhotep III and Hatshepsut, and yet ended with the country in a chaotic state.
Zahi Hawass, director-general of the Giza plateau, does not accept that even if the go-ahead is given for the projects DNA tests will be a great help in unravelling the historical confusion. Rather, it may open the door to a range of false theories.
"The DNA samples extracted from the mummy could easily be contaminated during the execution of the DNA tests, which could in turn give inaccurate results," Hawass argued.
It would be better, he continued, to work on other "more beneficial research," such as the cause of the boy-king's death.
Nasri Iskandar, a specialist in the study of ancient mummies who will lead the Egyptian side in carrying out the DNA tests, rules out the possibility of contamination as the equipment, the room and the researchers will be sterilised. "We are merely trying to help Egyptologists reveal the secrets behind this king's life."
Voicing a different view, Ahmed El-Sawi, an Egyptian antiquities professor, said that the mere thought of doing DNA studies on royal mummies is wrong. Tutankhamun's mummy has been the subject of several studies since its discovery in 1922. Now, it is in a critical condition, so any mistake in extracting the DNA samples may destroy the fragile remains, he said. El-Sawi also pointed out that Tutankhamun's era witnessed the flourishing of cultural and commercial ties between Egypt and the Near East, and he is afraid that these tests "may be a cover for some archaeologists to cast doubt over ancient Egyptian history, especially Pharaohs related to the Prophet Moses, in order to serve certain religious and political interests."
Mohamed Saleh, a former director of the Egyptian Museum, is not in principle against the execution of the DNA tests. However, he remains cautious. "I am not encouraging these studies because similar studies done on other royal mummies eight years ago were useless and did not come up with any accurate scientific results. These include studies carried out by James Harris, an American dentist who tried to establish Tutankhamun's lineage by examining his teeth and the shape of his skull."
Hassan Bassiouni, a genetic researcher at Al-Azhar University, argued that it might prove impossible to establish Tut's lineage by examining the DNA samples because all cells had died many years ago and they are probably contaminated by liquids and materials used in mummification, as well as natural erosion factors.
Tutankhamun ascended the throne when he was nine years old. He was a son-in-law of Akhenaten, according to historical legend, but his parentage was never definitely established. At the beginning of his reign, he lived in Tel Al-Amarna and his name was Tutankhnaten. After a short period, he returned to Thebes to worship Amun, as is recorded on an engraved stone slab, or stelae, found at Karnak Temple. He changed his name to Tutankhamun, which signifies the living image of Amun. He ruled from 1361 to 1352 BC, leaving behind at his death many questions regarding his lineage.
© Copyright Al-Ahram Weekly. All rights reserved
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||
