Description

Pharaoh.
Icon.
Enigma.

Lost for three thousand years, misunderstood for a century.

A hundred years ago, a team of archaeologists in the Valley of the Kings made a remarkable discovery: a near-complete royal burial, an ancient mummy, and golden riches beyond imagination. The lost tomb of Tutankhamun ignited a media frenzy, propelled into overdrive by rumours of a deadly ancient curse. But amid the hysteria, many stories – including that of Tutankhamun himself – were distorted or forgotten.

Tutankhamun: Pharaoh, Icon, Enigma takes a familiar tale and turns on its head. Leading Egyptologist Joyce Tyldesley has gathered ten unique perspectives together for the first time, including that of the teenage pharaoh and his family, ancient embalmers and tomb robbers, famous Western explorers and forgotten Egyptian archaeologists. It’s a journey that spans from ancient Thebes in 1336 BCE, when a young king on a mission to restore his land met an unexpected and violent end, to modern Luxor in 1922 CE when the tomb’s discovery led to a fight over ownership that continues to this day.

Above all, this is the story of Tutankhamun, as he would have wanted to be remembered. Piecing together three thousand years of evidence and unpicking the misunderstandings that surround Egypt’s most famous king, this book offers a vital reappraisal on his life, death and enduring legacy.

Publisher Review

Tyldesley pieces together as clear a picture as possible of the pharaoh's life, death and afterlife, using expert insight and a wealth of evidence to illuminate a compelling character and his universe. * Book of the Month, BBC History Revealed * [A] spirited and interesting account that sifts through the surviving evidence and seeks to combat the widely held belief that Tutankhamun was an insignificant king * Minerva * Highly readable . . . the importance of discovering the truth - rather than the myths, rumours and scandals of the past century - comes to the fore. * Mail on Sunday * [An] authoritative history . . . A thoughtful new account of Tutankhamun's life and afterlife. * The Times *