Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: Ben Aldhouse on 03/11/2007 12:55:57

Title: King Tut was 'up' for the afterlife
Post by: Ben Aldhouse on 03/11/2007 12:55:57
I saw this on a TV documentary about possible causes for Tutankhamun's death recently. Apparently, when the mummy was first investigated, it was found that the man inside was ready for action, as it were (apart from being dead). Unfortunately, at some point between when the mummy was re-intombed (in the 1930s?) and when it was recovered again (in the 1960s?) the evidence was stolen.

Was his excitement something artificial done to him post mortem - a procedure carried out by the embalmers to make him ready for his heavenly experience - or was it something that happened to him shortly before or during his death?

There is a reference to something similar in the film 'Clerks' (a person who dies in a state of excitement leaving evidence of that final state of excitement). However - that is just purile amusement. Is it even possible for someone to die in that state? Are there other reasons for people to die in this state? (A tarantula bite, for instance...)
Title: King Tut was 'up' for the afterlife
Post by: ukmicky on 03/11/2007 20:39:28
Explain please :-)

If you are talking about what i think your talking about .i heard it was removed from his body .
Title: King Tut was 'up' for the afterlife
Post by: Ben Aldhouse on 03/11/2007 20:55:11
Yes! That bit that was removed from his body. By thieves, apparently. I edited my post before I saw your reply. I hope its a bit clearer now. I suppose I was wondering if its something that morticians are used to seeing or whether the probability is that it was something faked by Tutankhamun's embalmers to make him seem more manly in death, or something (who knows?) or whether it is just an oddity.
Title: King Tut was 'up' for the afterlife
Post by: paul.fr on 03/11/2007 21:03:32
one way is to have the enbalming fluid pumped directly to that area, and tie a knot it the bottom of the shaft.
Title: King Tut was 'up' for the afterlife
Post by: Ben Aldhouse on 03/11/2007 21:14:32
He could have opted just to have a bigger chariot with more horsed put in the tomb with him.
Title: King Tut was 'up' for the afterlife
Post by: another_someone on 04/11/2007 00:00:39
Fear alone can cause an erection, but I would have thought that post mortem, the loss of body fluids would have had the opposite effect (and I would have thought that most embalming processes would require the removal of natural body fluids in order to better preserve the tissues).
Title: King Tut was 'up' for the afterlife
Post by: Karen W. on 05/11/2007 00:51:18
WELL FROM EXPERIENCE THIS SEEMS MORBID BUT WHEN I FOUND MY FATHER IN LAW, WELL ME DAUGHTER SAW HIM FIRST..AND GOT ME, HE HAD PASSED HE HAD A COMPLETELY HORRIFIED LOOK ON HIS FACE, CONTORTED AND MOUTH OPEN WIDE..SORRY, AND HE HAD A VERY DISTINT ERECTION! HE WAS ALSO STILL SITTING UP TAKING HIS UNDER SHORTS OFF IT SEEMED...

I DID NOT KNOW THAT ABOUT TUT.. I MADE A NEW THREAD REGAURDING HIS UNVEILING SUNDAY!

Sorry I forgot the caps again!
Title: King Tut was 'up' for the afterlife
Post by: Ben Aldhouse on 05/11/2007 12:37:24
Gosh, Karen. That's a memory to be reckoned with. I'm sorry to have reminded you.