Question

Why did Tut’s body have to undergo a C.T. scan? How was it carried out and what results did it yield?

Answer 1

A veil of mystery surrounded Tut’s life and death. Old methods of archaeology did not provide satisfactory clues to the circumstances of his death and his age at the time of demise. An X-ray of the mummy in 1968 further complicated the confusion. CT scan was undertaken to create a three dimensional virtual body.

A scanner was taken in a trailer to the sandy area near Tut’s tomb. Tut’s body was carried there from his tomb in a box. The CT machine scanned the mummy head to toe, creating 1700 digital X-ray images in cross section. Tut’s entire body was scanned in 0.62 millimetre slices.

The C.T. scan produced clear images of Tut’s head, neck vertebrae, ribcage, hand and skull. The results proved satisfactory. A team of specialists in radiology, forensics and anatomy are busy probing the secrets lying buried in Tut’s grave with his body.