‘Overlooked’ clue on Tutankhamun’s death mask that could re-define the boy-king’s death

King Tutankhamun’s death mask is one of the most iconic Egyptian relics, but researchers claim it may not have been intended for the late pharaoh. 

A team from the University of York in the UK say the holes in the ears of the mask suggest the mask was actually intended for a high status female or child rather, possibly King Tut’s stepmother whose body has never been found.

They hypothesize that Tutankhamun’s sudden death at 18 may have saw the shape of his face grafted on top of the true owner of the mask.

Professor Joann Fletcher said: ‘This mask was not made for an adult male pharaoh when the gold was compared, [they found] the face is made of completely different gold to the rest.’ 

The researchers arrived at the new theory after re-examining the historical records of the 1922 excavation, finding mentions of body modifications that did not align with ancient Egyptian tradition. 

One document in particular, caught the attention of Professor Fletcher, which read: ‘Honed in on one long-overlooked feature… the decidedly pierced ears [on the death mask.’

While pharaohs wore earrings, the modifications were not carried over to the death mask. Piercings have only been on those made for the masks of queens and children. 

Professor Fletcher made the revelations in a newly released History Hit documentary, saying she was sure the death mask was not specifically designed for King Tut.

The mask was likely made for someone else and was re-molded to more closely resemble Tut. It was found in his tomb in the Valley of Kings in 1922

The idea, however, was first proposed in 2015 by Egyptologist Nicholas Reeves who claimed the gold face covering was originally made for Queen Nefertiti – the young king’s stepmother. 

Nefertiti married Akhenaten, Tutankhamun’s father, but her tomb has yet to be discovered.

King Tutankhamun ascended to the Egyptian throne at just nine years of age and ruled from 1332 BC to 1323 BC.

In 1922, British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the mask in Tut’s lavish tomb in the Valley of the Kings on the west bank of the Nile River.

A death mask was made for both pharaohs and the everyday person to honor the deceased and establish a connection with the spiritual world.

However, a pharaoh’s mask was made of gold or silver, while lesser people’s were fashioned from wood or clay.

They were created in the likeness of the person’s face to help the deceased’s soul return to their body so they could be judged by the Egyptian god Anubis.

In 1922, British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the mask in Tut’s lavish tomb in the Valley of the Kings on the west bank of the Nile River

Tut’s mask featured a broad collar made of semiprecious stones and colored beads were inlaid throughout, and Tut was given a false beard made of gold.

Professor Joann Fletcher combed through Carter’s burial records of King Tut to see if more discoveries could be made more than a century later.

The ear piercings caught her attention immediately as she is an Egyptologist who has been studying the ancient civilization for decades.

Famed pharaohs like King Tut’s great-grandfather, Amenhotep III, and Ramses II were also found buried in death masks, but neither featured ear modifications.

And none of their statues were found with the piercings.

However, placement for the jewelry has been found etched in statues of queens, such as Nefertiti, and the death mask of Sobekneferu.

Professor Fletcher suggested that the clues on the mask meant King Tut’s burial was rushed.

The young pharaoh was plagued with health issues due to Akhenaten marrying his sister who gave birth to the boy king.

Black blotches were found on the walls of the tomb, indicating that the paintings were rushed because of the pharaoh’s untimely death

King Tutankhamun died at just 19 years old from an infection that researchers believe stemmed from a broken leg

While not proven, King Tut was believed to have a club foot, cleft palate, bone disease and scoliosis. 

Some experts have suspected he was murdered, while others believe the health issues took a toll. 

Not only are there clues in the death mask about a rushed burial, archaeologists have documented blotches of paint on the wall that suggested it hadn’t dried when the tomb was quickly sealed.

The size of the lavish burial was also much smaller than what was expected for a pharaoh of Tut’s stature. 

‘This is the tomb that was intended for Tutankhamun, the tomb of Ay,’ Prof Fletcher explained.

‘To deepen the enigma, dark spots are scattered across the walls of King Tut’s tomb marks that scores of experts point to as a sign the paint was still wet when the tomb was sealed, hinting at the hurried nature of its completion.’