Murder of Tutankhamen Ancient Egypt Ankhesenamen Horemheb Akhenaten Aye Hittites

Description

The Murder of Tutankhamen: A True Story by Bob Brier, Ph.D.
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DESCRIPTION:
Hardback with Dust Jacket. Weidenfeld & Nicholson (1998) 264 pages.
X-rays of Tutankhamen’s skull suggest a violent death. Was it accident or murder? Why was the king’s tomb so small and insignificant? Was it intended for someone else? Several members of Tutankhamen’s family died around the same time; was it coincidence? Why did Tutankhamen’s widow send desperate messages to the Hittite King, requesting marriage to one of his sons? And who murdered the Hittite Prince on his journey to Egypt? Who ordered the removal of Tutankhamen’s name from all monuments and temples, and thus from Egyptian history? This fascinating, painstakingly researched book is the first to explore in depth the questionable circumstances of Tutankhamen’s demise, and to present a chocking scenario of betrayal, ambition, and murder. From one of our most renowned Egyptologists, this is an exciting journey into ancient history, and a 3,000 year old mystery that still compels us today.
CONDITION: VERY GOOD (PLUS). Unread (?) hardcover w/dustjacket. Weidenfeld & Nicholson (1998) 264 pages. From the outside the book is is clean and without blemish. Inside the pages are pristine; clean, crisp, unmarked, unmutilated, tightly bound, and seemingly "unread", though I would hasten to add that of course the book has assuredly (based on our inspection) been flipped through a few times. If the book has been read, it was read by someone with an exceedingly "light hand", as the discernible reading wear is otherwise consistent with the book merely having been flipped through a few times. Outside appearances are at first blush likewise seemingly unblemished, with only very faint edge and corner shelfwear to the dustjacket and covers. However close inspection of the backside of the dustjacket reveals a light tea or coffee stain along the open vertical edge of the dustjacket. Of course we removed the dustjacket to check the covers beneath - they are undamaged (as are the pages themselves). Just the dustjacket evidences a stain along the leading, vertical edge (at the point where it folds beneath the cover and becomes the dustjacket flap). The book appears to be a shelf/browsing copy from an open shelf book store where customers are permitted to browse the inventory, and occasionally "accidents" happen where the books might be superficially blemished (in this case a stained dustjacket. Otherwise notwithstanding, the overall condition of the book is consistent with a new book from an open-shelf bookstore environment such as Barnes & Noble or B. Dalton, wherein patrons are permitted to browse open stock, and books are sometimes cosmetically blemished with shelfwear, or as in this instance, a coffee or tea spill. Satisfaction unconditionally guaranteed. In stock, ready to ship. No disappointments, no excuses. PROMPT SHIPPING! HEAVILY PADDED, DAMAGE-FREE PACKAGING! #1783.1e.
PLEASE SEE IMAGES BELOW FOR SAMPLE PAGES FROM INSIDE OF BOOK.
PLEASE SEE PUBLISHER, PROFESSIONAL, AND READER REVIEWS BELOW.
PUBLISHER REVIEW
:
REVIEW: Tutankhamen lived through an extraordinarily turbulent time in ancient Egypt's history. Torn apart by revolution, Egyptian society was wracked by religious and political turmoil, as ambitious ministers with thwarteddesires plotted secretly. Meanwhile the young king and his adored wife could not produce an heir. All this instability produced the combustible situation that, Bob Brier believes, ultimately led to Tutankhamen's murder. Acting as both historian and detective, Brier is our guide through this exotic, seemingly distant world. As he carefully lays out the evidence that he has gathered from artifacts, documents, tombs, and X rays of ancient mummies, readers will be able to judge for themselves whether the right man has been "fingered."
Bob Brier has spent more than twenty years studying ancient Egypt and is an international authority on mummies. A Professor of Philosophy at C. W. Post Campus of Long Island University, he is the host of a six-hour television series for The Learning Channel called “The Great Egyptians”. In 1994, he made national headlines by being the first person in two thousand years to mummify a human corpse using ancient Egyptian tools and techniques. Brier is also Author of “Egyptian Mummies”,” The Encyclopedia of Mummies”, and “Ancient Egyptian Magic”.
PROFESSIONAL REVIEWS
:
REVIEW: In his eccentric but entertaining Egyptian Mummies (1994), Brier announced his intention to conduct a mummification of a human cadaver in the ancient manner. Here, after discussing the results of this grisly experiment, Brier uses his knowledge of ancient Egyptian mummification techniques and entombment practices to argue that the young King Tutankhamen (reigned 1333-23 B.C.) was murdered by his chief vizier, Aye. First Brier puts Tutankhamen's life in historical perspective by reconstructing the turbulent times in which he lived. A scion of the 18th Dynasty, Tutankhamen was the son of the great king Akhenaten, the monotheist who sought to destroy Egypt's traditional polytheistic religion.
Succeeding to the throne as a child, Tutankhamen allowed the regent, Aye, to make the practical decisions of governance until he achieved adulthood. The traditional religion was restored, Akhenaten's memory was disgraced, and his religious innovation was branded a heresy. Brier constructs an interesting circumstantial case, through a detailed analysis of autopsies and X-rays of Tutankhamen's mummy, that the young king died as a result of a severe blow to the back of the head. Based on this, he argues that the 19-year-old king was murdered, probably by Aye (Brier excludes the other major suspect, Horemheb, a military hero who later became pharaoh).
Brier also cites some extant correspondence shortly after Tutankhamen's death from Ankhesenamen, Tutankhamen's widow, virtually inviting the Hittites, Egypt's traditional enemy, to take over Egypt to save her from a disastrous marriage. Brier speculates that the prospective husband would have been Aye. In the end, both Ankhesenamen and a Hittite prince who responded to her call died, possibly murdered as Brier speculates, and Aye succeeded as pharaoh. A fascinating blend of ancient history, forensic medicine, and ratiocinative detective work, with a necessarily speculative conclusion.
REVIEW: Was Tutankhamen murdered? Brier presents his hypothesis in an engrossing tale that moves along at the pace of a well-crafted whodunit. In lucid prose, he gives the lay person an informative overview of Egyptian history prior to Tutankhamen's reign with special emphasis on his father, Amenhotep IV, who instituted the cult of Aten. As little is known about Tutankhamen's life, Brier reconstructs from wall paintings and hieroglyphic tablets and columns a perfectly plausible and fascinating picture of the boy-pharaoh's friendship with, then marriage to his half-sister Ankhesenamen and their daily life.
Before reaching his 20th birthday, Tutankhamen died. His Grand Vizier, Aye, was named pharaoh, Ankhesenamen petitioned her sworn enemies, the Hittites, for a prince to become her consort, and this prince was killed en route to Egypt. A logical case is presented for murder: X rays of Tutankhamen's skull reveal what might be interpreted as a blow to his head; the Grand Vizier who succeeds the childless pharaoh wanted power; Ankhesenamen strangely disappeared after an arranged marriage to his successor. Brier obviously knows his subject and is impassioned by it. Readers who enjoy history or true-crime stories will be intrigued by this work.
REVIEW: For decades after the discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb, the dazzling treasures found along with the mummy distracted many of us from the actual events of Tutankhamen's life. But take a look at the body itself. Cranial X-rays reveal a location on the back of the skull that may indicate a hemorrhage, perhaps one caused by a deliberate blow. The question thus arises: Was King Tut murdered? Egyptologist Bob Brier specializes in paleopathology, the study of diseases in the ancient world. In essence, he performs high-tech autopsies on 3,000-year-old corpses.
Brier has also taken part in a re-creation of Egyptian mummification techniques, including the extraction of the brain through the nasal passages. Here, he examines the X-rays and other photographic evidence, correlating it with the research of other Egyptologists, and concludes that Tutankhamen was the victim of political and religious intrigues that developed into a fatal conspiracy. True crime buffs and historians alike will find much to like in Brier's fast-paced recounting of his investigations.
REVIEW: Can the truth be known about a possible murder that would have been committed 3,000 years ago? Respected Egyptologist Bob Brier, specialist in paleo-pathology (the study of diseases in the ancient world) and host of the Learning Channel's acclaimed series “The Great Egyptians”, believes it can. Skillfully combining known historical events with evidence gathered by advanced technologies, Brier has re-created the suspenseful story of religious upheaval and political intrigue that likely resulted in the murder of the teenage king Tutankhamen.
The lives and tumultuous times of Tutankhamen and his young bride, Ankhesenamen, are presented in historical context (Brier nicknames chapter 2 "Egypt 101"), providing an elemental understanding of the development of the three great powers of this era: military, priests, and king. Breathing life into old bones and artifacts, Brier examines all available evidence to arrive at "the most reasonable explanation for a tragic event," an explanation that, he says, is testable through the use of current technology on the mummified remains of the ancient king.
REVIEW: You may or may not be convinced by his argument that Tutankhamen's death was a murder most foul. But you will find that Brier has made a persuasive case. More important, by the time you finish his intrigue-filled reconstruction of Tutankhamen's world, you risk coming to care a good deal about the young pharaoh's fate.
REVIEW: “The Murder of Tutankhamen” observes the conventions of a whodunit: a compelling victim, a batch of suspects (each of whom might be the killer), a vivid setting, and a climactic gathering wherein an ace detective produces the evidence that indicts the assassin. However, the detective and the story are actual here, and it is largely through forensic evidence and scholarly sleuthing that Bob Brier assembles his persuasive conclusions.
REVIEW: The Murder of Tutankhamen observes the conventions of a whodunit: a compelling victim, a batch of suspects (each of whom might be the killer), a vivid setting, and a climactic gathering wherein an ace detective produces the evidence that indicts the assassin. However, the detective and the story are actual here, and it is through forensic evidence and scholarly sleuthing that Bob Brier assembles his persuasive conclusions. By the time you finish his intrigue-filled reconstruction of Tutankhamen's world, which includes such elements as teen-age love, religious heresy, the Orwellian rewriting of history and the desperate pleas of a terrified queen, you risk coming to care a good deal about the young Pharaoh's fate.
READER REVIEWS
:
REVIEW: A wonderfully written book. Bob Brier is a talented Egyptologist specializing in mummies. Brier gives an excellent account of all aspects of what may have happened to King Tutankhamen ; both in his short life as well as leading to his (perhaps) untimely death. This book contains a well constructed insight to Egyptian times, with the revolutionary creation of Amarna by Tutankhamen's father, Akhenaten. An absolute must for anyone who is interested in gaining more knowledge on Tutankhamen's life (or death). Brier weighs up in a totally non-biased way the reasons why the boy king could well have been murdered, and by whom. This book also illustrates the reasons why little (apart from his tomb contents) is seen on Tutankhamen ; how his successors attempted to completely erase his name from future generations. After reading this book one is allowed to come to their own conclusion - and mine was definitely that extremely suspicious goings on occurred during and after Tutankhamen's reign. If anything should keep the name of Tutankhamen and his spirit alive, this book should.
REVIEW: Egyptologist Bob Briers has that rare ability to convey his enthusiasm for a subject to his readers without going over their heads or talking down to them. "The Murder of Tutankhamen" deals not only with the possible incident of the title but provides a background in Egyptian history, culture and religion. At times it might seem that he is leaving his main subject when he goes off into those areas but it becomes apparent that the background is needed to present why he feels Egypt's most well known (not necessarily greatest) ruler was murdered. A very good case is presented using not just historical and cultural reasons but also recent medical evidence although in the end this may be one of history's possibilities which may never be provable. Either way you will have a good time with this book trying to decide.
REVIEW: I absolutely loved this book! Bob Brier really has a feel for ancient Egypt. It hardly matters whether his driving thesis is 110% spot on; his love of the subject matter and the characters in his story comes shining through. It is a gripping read, 'unputdownable' in the true sense, highly recommended not only to those who feel a strange attraction for those ancient times in Egypt, but also for the casual student of religious history. He casts a fascinating light on this most extraordinary period and carries us buoyantly along with him. Don't wait! If you like ancient Egypt this book is too important, and you will want to read it again and again to savor the vital flavor of the epoch, its characters, religion and royal culture. 5 stars and more!
REVIEW: Bob Brier certainly has the credentials and acumen to investigate the possible murder of Tutankhamen. The circumstantial evidence is indeed compelling, and his indictment of the supposed perpetrator follows a logical flow of facts gleaned from history and supported by modern medical analytical techniques. Many unanswered questions remain however. The recovery of the tomb or remains of Ankhesenamen is pivotal to solving this ancient mystery. On the whole, I would recommend this book to any interested in Egyptology, especially 18th Dynastic devotees.
REVIEW: I loved this book. I found it as intriguing as any fictional mystery story I have ever read and very well written and presented. It has all the elements of desire for political power and status as any modern true story of the 20th century. Mr. Brier writes in an extremely easy to read style but gives so much information about the fascinating world of ancient Egypt. I enjoy reading about Egypt but have found some books do not make the subject matter come to life. I have also read his book on Egyptian mummies and found that equally fascinating. I hope Mr. Brier continues to write more about Egypt in his style that is easy to follow for someone not trained in archeology but who loves history.
REVIEW: I highly recommend this book if you enjoy reading historical interpretations of limited facts with an open mind. Bob Brier is one of my favorite authors, because his obvious love of Egypt comes through in all the books that he writes. In this instance, he explores the known facts regarding Tutankhamen's death and comes to the conclusion that it was his grandfather, Aye, who arranged for the King's death so that Aye could assume the throne. Aye apparently killed off the widow, Ankhesenamen, to boot after he married her to legitimize the claim. Do I think this is what happened? No, but I enjoyed the approach and the summary of information currently available on the subject. The book is enjoyable, easy to follow, and I felt that the new viewpoint was worth to consider.
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