Introduction
The pharaoh Tutankhamen, popularly known as King Tut is one of the few historical figures whose deaths have elicited more focus than their lives. Indeed, little is known about Tut, who in any event died at the tender age of about 18 years. However, how he died was thrust into global popularity when his mummified and seemingly burnt body was recovered in 1922 by Howard Carter (Collins & McNamara, 2014) . From then on, a myriad actual and virtual post mortems and intensive research have been carried out in an attempt to discover the cause of his death. Many theories, some real and others surreal have also been presented in an attempt to explain how Tut died. The research has gone beyond science and into subjects such as culture and the Egyptian way of life, all in an attempt to understand the mystery behind the great man’s death (Collins & McNamara, 2014) . In the final analysis, two plausible justifications for his death have been arrived at . This is death through a chariot accident and death through ailments , mainly Malaria. It may, however, be possible that both main explanations for the death of Tut worked contemporaneously to occasion his demise.
The Accident Theory
The accident theory has been advanced by many researchers in the 20 th Century, but its main proponent was Egyptian researcher Dr. Chris Naunton. Naunton focused his research on the many injuries that were found on the body of Tut including multiple fractures all over his body (Rühli & Ikram, 2014) . Of special interest to Naunton was a compound left leg fracture that seemed to have emanated from high impact. This injury was also found to have taken place close to the demise of the Pharaoh. Further to a virtual post-mortem tests of the body, Naunton also worked with traffic accident experts who were able to recreate a virtual sequence of how the injuries found on Tut could have happened (Rühli & Ikram, 2014) . Based on the technology-based research, the team arrived at the conclusion that Tut was hit by a speeding chariot while on his knees. This could perhaps have happened after he had an accident on his own chariot, an act that left him on his knees where he was accidentally run over by another chariot.
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The Malaria Theory
The second theory is also advanced by Egyptian researchers Yehia Gad and Somaia Ismail from the Cairo’s National Research Centre. The two experts were supported by researcher s from Germany and Italy (Timmann. 2010) . Their research was based mainly on DNA technology and took the form of forensic research. Specifically, they carried out DNA fingerprinting on the tissue of Tut. Their research led to the conclusion that Tut had suffered from several bouts of Malaria in his life and may have been quite sickly in his youth. However, the last bout of Malaria was one of the severest forms and is believed to have occasioned his death. Further findings from the DNA fingerprinting also found several other congenital problems and issues within the body of the young Pharaoh (Timmann. 2010) . This led to the conclusion that Tut has been weakened by his other illnesses and congenital conditions to an extent that he finally succumbed to the last bout of malaria towards the end of this teenage years.
Selecting the most plausible cause of Death
The two aforementioned causes of death have received support from various quotas leading to a major debate on what really caused the death of the great Pharaoh. Seeking to understand which of the two theories is more probable may, however, be more of a cultural issue than a scientific one. Being Pharaoh made Tut perhaps one of the most powerful men of his time. However, being the son of a Pharaoh also came with major genetic disadvantages (Collins & McNamara, 2014) . A Pharaoh could only marry a member of the royal family preferably a sister. Research has revealed that Tut was born of a brother and a sister, whose tombs and mummies have been identified. Having being born from a lineage of incest means that Tut inherited very many genetic abnormalities. This includes sickle cell anemia or its variations, a cleft lip and clubbed feet. Therefore, Tut must have always been a very delicate, weak and almost crippled man. Indeed, several walking sticks were found in his tomb, which was uncharacteristic of the normal implements used by a teenage boy (Collins & McNamara, 2014) .
These point to a near-crippled youth. The foregoing, therefore, disputes the contention that Tut may have died in a Chariot accident. The traditional chariot must have been a crude affair with neither rubber nor shock absorbers. It took physical strength and an iron will ride, let alone race in one. This rules out the possibility that Tut died in a chariot accident. Further, Tut was the subject of an aggressive mummification process that entailed a combination of crude science and mysticism. There is not telling how exactly the process was carried out, but researchers have credited many of the fractures on Tut’s body, including a fracture on his cranium to the mummification process (Collins & McNamara, 2014) . Further, there is evidence that after burial and while tightly sealed in his casket, the body underwent combustion, perhaps due to a reaction resulting from chemicals used for mummification and other rituals. This combustion process creates further consternation upon the physical trauma based explanation for the demise of Tut.
At the very same time, the fact that Tut had many congenital defects due to his incestuous birth support the contention that he died of an illness, not an accident (Timmann. 2010) . Having a generally weak constitution, it is highly probable that Tut died from Malaria, supported by several non-communicable diseases. For a start, researchers believe that Tut either suffered from sickle cell anemia or Freiberg-Kohler syndrome right from his childhood. This is one of the defects that have been credited to the fact that his parents were siblings. There is also a possibility, based on being born of siblings that Tut suffered from Wilson-Turner X-linked mental retardation syndrome (Timmann. 2010) . This paints a picture of a boy who started dying the moment he was born because of his genetic makeup and had a sickly and weak childhood. Added to these combinations of complications is the several bouts of Malaria, found in his DNA. Repeated bouts of malaria coupled with congenital defects finally wore out the body of the young King, leading to his early demise.
Conclusion
The two theories indicated above were arrived at in the 21 st century, almost a century after the discovery of the Tutankhamen’s remains. These theories came over and above many other theories that had been raised within the course of the aforementioned century. It, therefore, follows that as a better understanding of Egyptian culture is developed, coupled with advancements in forensic technology, this debate with exacerbate. However, the two seemingly strongest theories today lie on the contention that Tut either died from an accident or from Malaria. The analysis of the two possible causes as defined above point more towards death though ailment than from an accident. This is based on the fact that so many congenital issues have been found by researchers as to lead to the conclusion that Tut was a very weak boy who had no business being on or near a chariot. The presence of a powerful s train of malaria in his system strongly points to a death through a collection of diseases and illnesses that aided Malaria. It can, therefore, be said that Tut was killed by a culture that insisted on incest as the only way for kings to be born.
References
Collins, P., & McNamara, L. (2014). Discovering Tutankhamun . Oxford: Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford.
Rühli, F. J., & Ikram, S. (2014). Purported medical diagnoses of Pharaoh Tutankhamen, c. 1325 BC. HOMO-Journal of Comparative Human Biology , 65 (1), 51-63
Timmann, C., & Meyer, C. G. (2010). Malaria, mummies, mutations: Tutankhamen’s archaeological autopsy. Tropical Medicine & International Health , 15 (11), 1278-1280
