The book I picked-up is, Tutankhamun from Usborne. These Usborne books are for ages 6-8 years old. This is one of my favourite books. I am fascinated with Egyptian civilization and it is full of mysteries.
For almost a century, King Tutankhamun has been the poster boy for Ancient Egypt. His death mask was sublimely, breathtakingly crafted over 3,300 years ago from 24 pounds of beaten gold, with eyeliner of lapis lazuli and eyes of quartz and obsidian. This book is about an Egyptian boy king, Tutankhamun, who became king at the age of 9 but unfortunately, he died at the age of 19.
Tutankhamun, colloquially known as King Tut, was the 12th pharaoh of the 18th Egyptian dynasty, in power from approximately 1332 to 1323 B.C.E. During his reign, Tutankhamun accomplished little. However, his powerful advisers restored the traditional Egyptian religion, which had been set aside by his father, Akhenaten, who led the “Amarna Revolution.” After his death at age 19, King Tut disappeared from history until the discovery of his tomb in 1922. Since then, studies of his tomb and remains have revealed much information about his life and times, making Tutankhamun one of the best known ancient Egyptian kings.
Around 1332 B.C.E., the same year that Tutankhaten took power, he married Ankhesenamun, his half-sister and the daughter of Akhenaten and Queen Nefertiti. While the young couple had no surviving children, it is known they had two daughters, both likely to have been stillborn.
Research suggests King Tut died circa 1323 B.C.E. from a gangrene infection at age 19. The infection was possibly the result of a broken leg. Early investigations pointed to bone fragments in Tutankhamun’s skull to propose the theory that he died from a blow to the head by political rivals. However, a full scan of his body in 2006 found the damage to King Tut’s skull occurred after his death due to bad handling of his mummy. Another 2010 study of Tutankhamun’s DNA found he had malaria and was disabled, requiring a cane to walk, which could have precipitated his fall and made his leg infection worse
This book depicts the struggles of Howard Carter and his determination to find the tomb of Tutankhamun. On November 26, 1922, his tomb was discovered by Carter after a long search of 10 YEARS! The discovery was one of the biggest discoveries of the 20th century.
When the tomb was discovered, the burial chamber was full of gold and treasure. Even after so many years, his tomb was intact whereas most of the Pharaoh’s tombs were robbed for their treasures. One of the reasons that his tomb was not robbed was that king Tut died earlier than expected and the people were not ready with his burial. Some believe that he was buried in a haste and his tomb was placed under the tomb of Ramses’ tomb and ironically no one could find his tomb for centuries.
The most fascinating item found in King Tut’s tomb was the stone sarcophagus containing three coffins, one inside the other, with a final coffin made of gold.
When the lid of the third coffin was raised, King Tut’s royal mummy was revealed, preserved for more than 3,000 years. As archaeologists examined the mummy, they found other artifacts, including bracelets, rings and collars.
The best part of this book is they have wonderful pictures and illustrations. At the end of the book, you will find the exact timeline of king Tut’s life which are highly informative. I give this book a rating 9/10. It’s the most fascinating stories for kids and I insist every kid must read this book.
You can watch my book review on YouTube as well:
The Booksouls 