Imagine standing in the dimly lit Mummy Hall of the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation, your breath catching in your throat as you gaze upon ancient relics from a bygone era. The air is heavy with history and mystery, a tangible presence that seeps into your bones. Before you, in a procession of regal stillness lie 22 mummies of the most renowned ancient Egyptian rulers, their identities preserved through time. As your eyes sweep across the hall, they come to rest on Seqenenre Tao II, the revered figure who holds the title of the first recorded martyr in Egyptian history.
During the Second Intermediate Period, Egypt faced significant challenges from the Hyksos, west-Semitic conquerors who had dominated Egypt in the 17th century BC.
Known for their dominance and cruelty, the Hyksos had taken control of the northern part of Egypt between c. 1638–1530 BC, posing a constant threat to the unity and sovereignty of the country.
Seqenenre Tao II, ruling from Thebes, in Upper Egypt, found himself in a tumultuous period of Egyptian history, as his rule coincided with the declining years of the Hyksos dynasty.
Despite the odds stacked against him, he boldly confronted the occupiers and led a resistance movement to reclaim Egypt’s sovereignty.
A scientific paper was published in 2021 in Frontiers in Medicine on the death of this Egyptian king.
This study by Zahi Hawass in collaboration with Sahar Selim, a renowned professor of radiology at Cairo University’s Faculty of Medicine, uses modern medical technology to shed light on the story of an ancient Egyptian king who perished while endeavouring to reunify Egypt during the 16th century BC. The central focus of the research revolves around a meticulous examination of King Seqenenre Tao II’s mummy through the utilization of CT scan technology.
His mummified remains were discovered in the Deirel-Bahari cache in 1881, and were subject to an initial examination at that time. In the 1960s, X-ray imaging was employed to further study the mummy.
These examinations revealed several severe head injuries sustained by the deceased king, although no wounds were found on the rest of his body. Various theories have circulated regarding the cause of Seqenenre Tao II’s demise. Some speculate that he perished in battle, potentially at the hands of the Hyksos king himself. Others suggest that a conspiracy may have led to his murder while he slept in his palace. Additionally, there are those who propose that the rushed mummification process was conducted outside of the royal workshop, given the subpar condition of the mummy.
CT scan technology has emerged as a valuable tool within medical imaging, enabling the non-invasive study of archaeological remains, including mummies, thereby preserving them. Hawass and Selim utilised this technique to present a novel interpretation of the events that unfolded before and after King SeqenenreTao II’s death. Advanced computer technologies were employed to generate two and three-dimensional CT images, laying the foundation for their groundbreaking analysis.
The examination of CT scans unveiled previously unnoticed details about the nature of the head injuries, including cunningly concealed wounds that had eluded detection in previous assessments. The researchers also explored various Hyksos weapons stored in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, such as axes, spears, and daggers, all of which exhibited compatibility with the injuries sustained by Seqenenre Tao II.
The results indicate that the pharaoh was surrounded by multiple Hyksos assailants who attacked him from different positions, carrying distinct weapons. The manner of his demise appears to have been a ceremonial execution.
Furthermore, the CT scan demonstrated that Seqenenre Tao II was approximately 40 years old at the time of his passing, an estimation derived from the bone structure depicted in the images. This finding presents the most accurate age determination to date.
This comprehensive study offers crucial insights into a pivotal moment in Egypt’s illustrious history. The battles fought by Seqenenre Tao II’s son, as recorded in the Carnavaron stela discovered at the Theban Temple in Karnak, are a testament to the significance of this Pharaoh’s legacy. Seqenenre Tao II’s son, kamose, fell as a martyr during the war against the Hyksos, while his other son, Ahmose, completed the expulsion of the occupiers. With immense valor, Ahmose waged and won battles, pursuing the defeated Hyksos all the way, eventually achieving the unification of Egypt after 100-year occupation.
Today, Seqenenre Tao II’s legacy lives on as a testament to the indomitable spirit of the Egyptian people as being first king martyred for the sake of his country.
