Let That Be Your Last Battlefield: Tutankhamun And Disability

Tutankhamun is the most iconic and recognized figure from ancient Egypt but remains embroidered and hyperbolized. There has been little to no recognition or consensus within scholarly communities of his disability or how his disability may have factored into his personal, political, religious, and social roles within Egyptian society. Instead, he remains the perfect face of a pharaoh. There has been little consideration or research into whether his tomb was adapted to fit his needs as a disabled man. This article explores how Tutankhamun ̓s tomb was perhaps modified to fit his needs as a disabled man, through an examination of the tomb layout, certain artifacts, botanical materials, artwork, and other grave goods. It also posits that disability need not be hyperbolized into an all or nothing proposition, and his injuries and death may have been caused by a confluence of events.