The Shadow King The Bizarre Afterlife of King Tut's Mummy

by Marchant, Jo

• ISBN13: 9780306821332
• ISBN10: 0306821338
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2013-06-04
• Publisher: Da Capo Press

Summary

More than 3,000 years ago, King Tutankhamun's desiccated body was lovingly wrapped and sent into the future as an immortal god. After resting undisturbed more than three millennia, King Tut's mummy was suddenly awakened in 1922. Archaeologist Howard Carter had discovered the boy king's tomb and the soon-to-be famous mummy was just beginning its second life, more dramatic than its first. The mummy's afterlife is a modern story, not an ancient one. Award-winning science writer Jo Marchant traces the mummy's story from its first brutal autopsy in 1925 to the most recent arguments over its DNA. From the glamorous treasure hunts of the 1920s to the high-tech scans of today conducted against the volatile backdrop of modern Egypt, Marchant introduces us to all the brilliant and flawed characters who have devoted their lives to revealing the mummy's secrets, unravels the truth behind the hyped-up TV documentaries, and explains what science can and can't tell us about King Tutankhamun.

Author Biography

Jo Marchant is an award-winning journalist who specializes in writing about cutting-edge science. She has worked as a staff reporter and editor for Nature and New Scientist, where she is currently a consultant. She lives in London.