Media Sensationalism and the Development of the Mo Essay Example

"The Mummy" and x-ray analysis that revealed his cause of death. In 1922, Howard Carter discovered Tutankhamun's famous tomb with financial support from British Lord Carnarvon, whom he had met during previous excavations in Sheikh. Almost two decades earlier, Theodore Davies, an American lawyer turned archaeologist, found a blue cup in the Valley of the Kings, hinting at King Tutankhamun's existence. However, it was not until January 1907 when significant findings were uncovered at KV 54 burial site that Davies believed he had actually found Tutankhamun's tomb. Many people then believed there was nothing more to discover in the Valley of the Kings until Carter made his monumental find. The press eagerly reported on Carter's revelation and even discussed plans for publicly exhibiting the tomb. Initially, reports in the New York Times focused on the beauty and grandeur of Tutankhamun's tomb before its opening, paying little attention to the pharaoh himself. The article mainly described treasures such as gold, alabaster, and ebony found within the tomb.
The media prematurely disclosed a researcher's findings that claimed the Hittites gained power after Tutankhamun's death by marrying his widow, Ankhesenamun. Ankhesenamun had requested a husband and expressed her disappointment that her plea had not been taken seriously. She insisted that she only wrote to the Hittites for this purpose and wished for a son who would become her husband and king of Egypt. To protect these treasures from intruders, Egyptians gathered all possible riches within the tomb and created a hidden sanctuary. As Carter began organizing objects from the tomb, media reported on any potentially extraordinary discoveries, including a box containing gray human hair believed to belong to Tutankhamun's

queen. In March, Tutankhamun became internationally known as he was believed to have connections with Pharaoh Akhenaten, who aimed to bring monotheism to Egypt. The New York Times disclosed nearly a month after Tutankhamun's death that he was a teenager based on his appearance and clothing found in the antechamber. However, it took two years for Carter to access Tutankhamun's body in the final chamber of the tomb which remained unopened. Media spread incomplete stories and theories about Tutankhamun in order to maintain interest.
The invention of the "mummy's curse" is an example worth mentioning. According to legend, Lord Carnarvon and his dog Susie died as a result of this curse. Although Susie was said to have cried out when her master passed away from a distance, it is believed that Marie Corelli, a Scottish author, fabricated this curse. Both the mass media and Sir Conan Doyle supported Corelli's fabrication. Initially, Lord Carnarvon's death was seen as evidence of a curse surrounding Tutankhamun; however, it was later determined that he died from blood poisoning caused by a mosquito bite. In 1931, Carter gave a speech at University College where he discussed potential political intrigue related to Tutankhamun's deceased children.

Due to limited technology at the time, the initial examination of Tutankhamun's body was conducted hastily, resulting in insufficient investigation into his cause of death. Nonetheless, almost forty years later, x-rays were used which revealed signs of possible murder and reignited interest in his legacy. During this period, various theories emerged regarding Tutankhamun's relationship with Akhenaten or Smenkhkare and whether he was a commoner who married into the royal family.

As the boy pharaoh who gained admiration from many

people, King Tut became more prominent than any other Egyptian monarch. In 1968 Professor R.G Harrison from Liverpool University examined the king's remains while developing these theories. It was during this examination process that they discovered a bone fragment enclosed in resin inside the king’s skull (fig.1).The discovery of Tutankhamun's murder, supported by other evidence, was found during the examination. Additionally, the examination revealed missing breastbone and rib bones. It is unclear whether these damages were caused by embalming or desecration by Carter and his team. The possibility of murder was explored in numerous books, articles, and journals. In 1975, an exhibition displaying Tutankhamun's artifacts arrived in America for the first time, which increased his popularity in the United States. As public interest grew, people started believing media-driven accounts that he was assassinated by courtiers out of fury or jealousy. This led to a surge of interest in ancient Egypt and some individuals claimed to be reincarnations of Amarna-era figures including Tutankhamun's widow. These claims resemble plotlines from The Mummy movies where female characters are revealed as incarnations of Nefertiti and Ankhesenamun. In 1978, another x-ray dismissed the theory that Tutankhamun died from a blow to his head; however, this finding was not widely reported.Pathological evidence indicates that if King Tut had been murdered, the murderer would have failed because of a healed area where a hematoma had formed. Additionally, the location of the wound at the bottom of his skull suggests that it would have been difficult to strike him forcefully from below. Normally, in cases of murder, the wound would be on the top part of his skull. Despite theories proposing that Ay,

his successor and step-grandfather, may have killed him, rumors and myths persist regarding King Tut's death. While some attribute deaths linked to the mummy's curse to a curse placed upon Tutankhamun by priests of Amun rather than natural causes or mosquito bites years after opening his tomb, most Egyptologists now believe he died from natural causes or an unfortunate accident such as falling from a chariot. Although there is limited coverage in mainstream media, Tutankhamun's case has been extensively discussed in sources like National Geographic and academic journals. The thinning of bone in his head is thought to be a potential cause for his natural death. If the king had developed a hematoma, increased pressure in his arteries would have resulted in thinning of the skull bone and possibly unconsciousness. Unlike other royal mummies found in the Valley of the Kings, King Tutankhamun's shaved head was likely due to a medical examination requirement. However, Joann Fletcher's alleged Nefertiti mummy story is overly sensationalized within Egyptian history.There is a possibility that Tutankhamun's doctors shaved his head to examine it, but they were unsure about further steps without a neurological examination as there was no open wound. Consequently, Tutankhamun remained unconscious and eventually died from natural causes. This theory also explains the hasty preparation and relatively small size of his tomb. Ay concealed the pharaoh's death for as long as possible to prevent Horemheb from taking the throne, which required quickly hiding valuable artifacts that potential spies within their household would not notice missing. At KV 54, believed to be Tutankhamun's burial site, floral necklaces and meals were discovered. Later on, while Ay's tomb was being built,

Tutankhamun was secretly moved there. The painting in the burial chamber depicted Ay helping the deceased king while wearing the pharaoh's headdress, symbolizing their swift death and burial. This raises questions about whether initially the mural portrayed Tutankhamun performing a ritual on Ay instead. According to Egyptian tradition, a new pharaoh could only be crowned once the previous one had been laid to rest. This suggests that there may have been a change in the identities represented by their cartouches. Various alternative theories regarding Tutankhamun's cause of death have emerged including plague, hunting accident or chariot fall.
The connection between historical figures and events, such as Cleopatra, World War II, and atomic bomb drops, makes the idea of plague intriguing to many people. This topic generates significant interest by suggesting that Tutankhamun may have been a victim of an ancient version of the plague. However, it is highly unlikely that he actually succumbed to this disease. The absence of evidence on Tutankhamun's mummified skin, like buboes found on Ramesses V, contributes to skepticism about this theory. The injuries observed on his body - a broken leg and missing rib cage - are attributed to a hunting accident and fall from a chariot. Evidence of infection in the soft tissue around his leg suggests it could be from either falling off a chariot or sustaining a deep cut during the hunting incident. There is uncertainty about whether Howard Carter's autopsy accurately reflects this fracture due to severe damage inflicted upon the pharaoh's body during removal from the sarcophagus. CT scans show no evidence of hematoma despite hemorrhaging around the skull, indicating that the infection may not have

been as severe as previously thought.If severely damaged in an accident, it is possible that the missing breastbone was removed during embalming. Despite Carter's damaging actions, ongoing disputes arise; however, belief in murder persists due to its captivating narrative compared to less intriguing scenarios such as falling out of a chariot or suffering intracranial hematoma. Both Carter and the media played significant roles in creating intrigue surrounding Tutankhamun with his mummy to generate public fascination. Despite allegations of murder and ritual desecration, it appears that the Boy Pharaoh led a normal life and died young due to an unfortunate accident or natural causes. There is no evidence of foul play in court despite his wife being devastated by his death, sensationalizing the entire Tutankhamun saga. As America prepares for a new Tutankhamun exhibition, one wonders if the media will report on the latest developments in the case and whether cities hosting the exhibition will advertise the murder theory to generate more interest. Will this tour reignite fascination with Egypt or attract individuals who believe they were Amarna figures in previous lives? Do people care about Zahi Hawass and his medical team's recent discoveries or do they prefer to believe in a darker side to the Tutankhamun story?In today's media landscape, it is expected that these new findings will receive minimal attention - potentially appearing in the back pages of newspapers or briefly mentioned at the start of news broadcasts. Nevertheless, the hope is that individuals who visit the exhibition will be intrigued and conduct further research beyond what they see on television. The text showcases a compilation of sources and corresponding links discussing various topics

linked to King Tutankhamun. These encompass his murder, discrimination, the Golden Age of the Pharaohs, the XXth Dynasty Gallery, the Amarna Letters, the Theban Mapping Project, modern technology reopening King Tut's case, the Mummy Curse of Tutankhamun, and the Penny Press in the 1830s. Furthermore, there are discussions about Tutankhamen, Amenism, Atenism,and Egyptian Monotheism found in different books and articles like "Tutankhamen: The Golden Monarch" by Michael Carter,"The Pharaoh Returns!King Tut" by Richard Covington,"Tutankhamen" by Christine El Mahdy,and "Tutankhamun: The Untold Story" by Thomas Hoving. John Kelly's book titled "The Great Mortality: An Intimate History of Black Death ,the Most Devastating Plague of All Time" also contains an examination of Black Death. Barbara Matusow's article "Missing American Papers and TV News" along with Tom Phillips' piece on "Compassion fatigue and media: part one", analyze how media reports on crises.In his article titled "Katrina Media Madness," Mike Rosen criticizes the coverage of Hurricane Katrina. Additionally, in their article titled "The Role of Media and Media Hypes in Aftermath Disasters," Peter Vasterman, C. Joris Yzermans, and Anja J.E. Dirkzwager discuss fears about Flesh-Eating Bacteria reported by Newsweek 123, No 23 on June 6th, 1994 in Britain.