When Tutankhamun Lay in State: Do Floral Collars Hint at Sinister Turn of Events? – Part II
Based on the floral remains recovered from his crypt (KV62) and Pit (KV) 54, do the Dakhamunzu letters, allegedly written by Ankhesenamun, point to Tutankhamun’s delayed interment? If true, this is at odds with the evidence to hand that hints at a rushed burial. Or could it be that the priests required more than the traditionally prescribed 70 days from death to burial, because WV23 was unfinished and the need to recycle grave goods of the boy king’s predecessors took longer than expected?
Even though there is no definitive evidence that Tutankhamun ever participated in battles, wall reliefs at Karnak Temple and numerous objects found in his tomb suggest otherwise. Here, the pharaoh is depicted destroying Syrians by firing arrows and trampling the traditional enemies under his chariot. (Egyptian Museum, Cairo. Image: Yann Forget)
