Class 11 English Notes Chapter 3 (Discovering Tut : the Saga Continues) – Hornbill Book
Alright students, let's delve into Chapter 3 of your Hornbill textbook, "Discovering Tut: the Saga Continues" by A.R. Williams. This chapter is fascinating as it blends history, archaeology, mystery, and modern technology. For your exam preparation, focus on the key events, figures, scientific aspects, and the historical context.
Detailed Notes: Discovering Tut: The Saga Continues
1. Introduction: The Subject - Tutankhamun
- Who: Tutankhamun (popularly King Tut) was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty.
- Significance: He was the last heir of a powerful family that had ruled Egypt for centuries. He died young (around 19) and remained largely forgotten until his tomb's discovery.
- Mystery: His life and death are shrouded in mystery, making his mummy a subject of intense scientific curiosity.
2. The Discovery: Howard Carter (1922)
- Who: Howard Carter, a British archaeologist.
- What: After years of searching, he discovered Tut's tomb in the Valley of the Kings in 1922.
- Significance of Discovery: The tomb was remarkably intact, containing the richest royal collection ever found – stunning artifacts in gold, everyday items, board games, bronze razor, linens, cases of food and wine – offering incredible insight into royal life in ancient Egypt.
- Carter's Investigation & Controversy:
- Carter faced difficulty removing Tut's mummy from the solid gold coffin. Ritual resins used during the funeral rites had hardened, cementing the mummy to the bottom.
- He tried using the hot Egyptian sun to loosen the resins, but it failed.
- Crucial Point: To save the treasures, Carter had little choice but to chisel the mummy away, cutting it into pieces (severing major joints) to remove it from the coffin and extract the gold adornments. This method is heavily criticized today for the damage caused to the mummy.
- Carter meticulously cataloged the findings over several years.
3. Post-Carter Investigations & Lingering Questions
- The "Curse of the Pharaohs": Mentioned briefly, referring to the myth that misfortune befell those who disturbed the tomb (Carter himself lived many years after the discovery).
- Anatomy Professor's X-ray (1968):
- Over 40 years after Carter's discovery, an anatomy professor X-rayed the mummy.
- Revealed: Tut's breastbone and front ribs were missing. This fueled speculation about how Tut died and raised questions about Carter's handling.
4. The CT Scan (2005): Modern Technology Intervenes
- Purpose: To create a precise 3D virtual image of Tut's body using Computed Tomography (CT) scanning, hoping to answer questions about his age at death and cause of death without invasive procedures.
- Led by: Zahi Hawass, then Secretary General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities.
- Process:
- Tut's mummy was carefully removed from its tomb.
- A portable CT scanner (donated by National Geographic Society and Siemens) was used.
- Hundreds of X-ray images in cross-section (0.62 mm slices) were taken.
- These images were assembled to create a detailed 3D model.
- Atmosphere: There was initial anxiety (scanner stopped working due to sand, but substitute fans fixed it) and a sense of historical moment. Tourists and locals observed the event.
- Key Findings of the CT Scan:
- Age Confirmed: Died around 19 years old.
- Health: Appeared generally healthy, though slight build.
- Cause of Death (Debunking): The scan showed no evidence of severe trauma (like a blow to the back of the head, a previous theory based on the 1968 X-ray). A bone fragment previously thought to be evidence of a blow was likely dislodged post-mortem, possibly by Carter's team.
- Cause of Death (New Possibility): Revealed a fracture in his left leg (thigh bone), possibly sustained shortly before death. This fracture might have become infected, leading to his demise. However, this is still a theory, not definitive proof.
- Missing Ribs/Breastbone: Confirmed they were missing, likely removed by Carter's team during the initial extraction.
5. Historical Context: Akhenaten and the Amarna Period
- Amenhotep III: Tut's father or grandfather, a powerful pharaoh.
- Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten): Succeeded Amenhotep III. Known for:
- Promoting the worship of the Aten (the sun disk) and changing his name to Akhenaten ("Servant of the Aten").
- Moving the religious capital from Thebes to the new city of Akhetaten (modern Amarna).
- Attacking Amun, a major god, smashing his images and closing his temples. Described as a "wacky" period by historian Ray Johnson.
- Smenkhkare: Appeared briefly after Akhenaten and exited mysteriously.
- Tutankhaten to Tutankhamun: Tutankhamun took the throne very young.
- His original name was Tutankhaten ("Living image of Aten").
- He changed his name to Tutankhamun ("Living image of Amun").
- He oversaw a restoration of the old ways, moving the capital back to Thebes and restoring the worship of Amun.
- Short Reign: Ruled for about nine years and died unexpectedly.
6. Conclusion: The Saga Continues
- The chapter highlights the journey of Tutankhamun from a forgotten pharaoh to a global icon.
- It showcases the evolution of archaeology – from Carter's invasive methods to modern non-invasive technology like CT scans.
- Despite advanced technology, definitive answers about Tut's death remain elusive, ensuring the "saga continues." Tut's mummy was returned to its resting place after the scan.
Key Themes for Exam Focus:
- Mystery surrounding Tut's life and death.
- Archaeological discovery and methods (past vs. present).
- The role of technology in historical investigation.
- Ancient Egyptian history, religion, and royalty (specifically the 18th Dynasty).
- Preservation vs. Investigation debate.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
-
Who led the archaeological team that discovered Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922?
a) Zahi Hawass
b) Flinders Petrie
c) Howard Carter
d) Gaston Maspero -
What major difficulty did Howard Carter face when trying to remove Tut's mummy from its coffin?
a) The coffin was too heavy to lift.
b) Ritual resins had hardened, cementing the mummy to the coffin.
c) The tomb entrance was too narrow.
d) Local authorities stopped the excavation. -
What controversial action did Carter take to separate the mummy from the coffin?
a) He used strong acids to dissolve the resins.
b) He waited for several years for the resins to degrade naturally.
c) He chiselled the mummy apart, severing major joints.
d) He submerged the coffin in the Nile river. -
An X-ray of Tut's mummy in 1968 revealed which startling fact?
a) The mummy had multiple fractures.
b) The brain had been completely removed.
c) The breastbone and front ribs were missing.
d) Several gold amulets were still embedded in the chest. -
What technology was employed in 2005 to create a detailed 3D image of Tut's mummy?
a) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
b) DNA Sequencing
c) Carbon Dating
d) Computed Tomography (CT) scan -
Who was the Secretary General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities who oversaw the 2005 scan?
a) Howard Carter
b) Ray Johnson
c) Zahi Hawass
d) A.R. Williams -
What previous theory about Tut's death did the 2005 CT scan largely disprove?
a) That he died from malaria.
b) That he was murdered by a blow to the back of the head.
c) That he drowned in the Nile.
d) That he died from a snake bite. -
Which pharaoh, preceding Tutankhamun, initiated major religious changes by promoting the worship of the Aten?
a) Amenhotep III
b) Smenkhkare
c) Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV)
d) Ramesses II -
What does the name "Tutankhamun" mean?
a) Servant of Aten
b) Living image of Amun
c) Son of the Sun God
d) Golden Pharaoh -
What significant finding did the 2005 CT scan suggest as a possible contributing factor to Tut's death, though not definitively proven?
a) A severe head injury
b) Advanced tuberculosis
c) Poisoning
d) A badly fractured leg possibly leading to infection
Answer Key:
- c) Howard Carter
- b) Ritual resins had hardened, cementing the mummy to the coffin.
- c) He chiselled the mummy apart, severing major joints.
- c) The breastbone and front ribs were missing.
- d) Computed Tomography (CT) scan
- c) Zahi Hawass
- b) That he was murdered by a blow to the back of the head.
- c) Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV)
- b) Living image of Amun
- d) A badly fractured leg possibly leading to infection
Study these notes carefully, focusing on the sequence of events, the key figures involved, the scientific findings, and the historical background. Good luck with your preparation!