ITALY/FILE: An assassin slit the throat of Egyptian King Ramses III in a succession plot concocted by his wife and son, according to new research

Record ID: 644992

  • Title: ITALY/FILE: An assassin slit the throat of Egyptian King Ramses III in a succession plot concocted by his wife and son, according to new research
  • Date: 18th December 2012
  • Summary: LUXOR, EGYPT (FILE - MARCH 21, 1949) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) (MONOCHROME) VARIOUS OF KARNAK TEMPLE BEING RESTORED AFTER EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE
  • Embargoed: 2nd January 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: History,Science / Technology
  • Reuters ID: LVA37IQ8VE1AGDXZTL3LE6LSROJ6
  • Story Text: An assassin slit the throat of Egyptian King Ramses III during a succession plot concocted by his wife and son, new research has shown, shedding light on a 3,000-year-old mystery around the death of the pharaoh.
    New computerised tomography scans have revealed a deep cut that was previously hidden by the bandages covering the king's mummy's throat, researchers said on Tuesday (December 18). The bandages could not be removed for fear of causing damage to the ancient relic.

    "Finally, with this study we have solved an important mystery in the history of ancient Egypt," said Albert Zink, a paleopathologist at the Institute for Mummies and the Iceman in Bolzano, (EURAC) in Italy, which led the investigations..

    "Given the depth of the cut, we understood that Ramses III must have died right after being wounded. We also found a small amulet that had been inserted into the wound. This amulet is a Horus Eye that was placed there during the embalming to heal the wound for his eternal life," Zink said.
    Ramses III, known as the Last Great Pharaoh, reigned over Egypt from roughly 1186 to 1155 BC. The exact cause of his death has been fiercely debated by historians.
    Papyrus documents at an Italian museum describe a conspiracy by his wife Tiye to kill the Pharaoh so that her son Pentawer could succeed to the throne.

    "There is a papyrus in the (Egyptian) Museum of Turin where we can read about the harem conspiracy started by the wife and son of Ramses III. The papyrus says that the conspiracy failed and the conspirators were punished. But until now, nobody knew what had happened to Ramses III, if he was wounded or if he had died during the coup. Thanks to our study, we know for sure that he was killed during the conspiracy," Zink said.
    An additional genetic study of a previously unidentified mummy that was found in the same burial chamber as Ramses III, confirmed it to be that of Pentawer.

    "The mummy called "The Unknown Man E" was found together with Ramses III. According to one hypothesis, this was the mummy of the son of Ramses III, the son called Pentawer, who had taken part in the conspiracy. Thanks to our genetic study, we have seen that this mummy truly is that of the son of Ramses III. We have also understood that he was probably hanged and, furthermore, that he was not embalmed in the normal way. They had not removed his organs and he was wrapped in a goat's skin, something considered impure in ancient Egypt," said Zink.
    Researchers say Pentawer may have been forced to hang himself as a way of purging his sins in preparation for the after-life.
    rom/ye/jrc
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