Bob Brier's The Murder Of Tutankhamen

Murdering a Pharaoh

Every calendar in Egypt began and ended with one person. That person encapsulated the ideals of the Egyptians society and reigned as god. He was vital for the citizen’s protection and existence. This person was Pharaoh, and time stopped when his heart stopped, and in The Murder of Tutankhamen, Bob Brier explains the events leading up to what he claims to be the tragic murder of one of Egypt’s most loved Pharaohs.

Tutankhamen became pharaoh during a tumultuous time in Egypt. His father, Akhenaten, moved the royal family to Amarna and rejected the tradition religion. He was deemed a heretic. Tutankhamen was son of Akhenaten’s second wife and therefore was not likely to become king. He spent most of his childhood assuming

Brier spends most of the first part of the book setting up the story of Egypt before Tutankhamun. He came to power at a tumultuous time, and then had restored Egypt to its former glory, but brier claims he would die a traumatic death. Brier uses forensic evidence to support his argument that Tutankhamen was murdered. When looking at the X rays he found that the blow to the head was sustained before he died. Brier uses this evidence to suggest that he could have sustained a substantial hit to the head. R.G. Harris was the original examiner of the X ray, and he could not conclude that the injury was intentional. He structures this argument through considering the history of mummy studies. He brings information from many different studies. However, he does spend quite a bit of time recreating these events based on his evidence. Although he presents valid points, he could bring them to the reader in a more succinct

Brier references the letter written by Tutankhamen’s widow, Ankhesenamen, to the prince of the Hittites to ask him to save her from a marriage she didn’t want. She wrote, “I am afraid!” which is surprising because their country was safe and stable at the time, because of Horemheb’s strong army. Aye and Maya had brought Egypt to prosperity and after her husband’s death, her position should have been the most powerful. Brier uses this letter as evidence to his argument that Tutankhamen had been murdered by someone of power in the court, who could potentially force Ankhesenamen to marry him so he could take control. This is a powerful argument for his case, and Brier does well at presenting this