These Fetuses Could Explain The Fall Of Tutankhamun's Family Dynasty | Private Lives | Odyssey

Ancient Egypt. Previously thought of as one of history's most enigmatic civilisations. However, recent archaeological advancements are allowing us to delve into the private lives of Egypt's Pharaohs and normal citizens. Did the 18th dynasty fall due to genetic illness? What were the sex lives of the Pharaohs like and what was it like to be a pyramid builder. Find out all this and more!

Odyssey is your journey into the world of Ancient History; from the dawn of Mesopotamia to the fall of Rome. We'll be bringing you only the best documentaries that journey into the mysteries and ruins of worlds long lost.

The Tragic Fall Of House Tutankhamun: 00:00
The Ancient Egyptian Obsession With Sex and Death: 49:33
Secrets Of The Pyramid Builders: 01:38:46

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[c]

They failed to mention, it was a young boy (between 12-14) that discovered the first step to tut's tomb. He was a water boy, he supplied fresh drinking water and supplies to the digging team as needed via camel. Has been mentioned in Carters journal writings as well.

[janegilmore]

Dunno about anyone else… this film is jumping at times. I’m doing my best to watch it. Otherwise it’s good.

[edgarsmith]

Im a father of three and all i can do you feel the sorrow of these precious children and parents so long ago time my pass but truly the hearts of parents have remained the same

[lillyrose]

How did their teeth look so good back then and now?

The Hapsburgs had major deformation from inbreeding as seen in the Hapsburg Jaws of their familial line.

I am fascinated that with so many marrying siblings 3, 000 years prior that their faces aren’t deformed.

[riafitzgerald]

Most museums, like tge Smithsonian, are too big and become black holes. Disappearing items at will or theft or just misplaced.

[aprilmills]

Watching the part about the worker's families.. it hit me... why would the entire family have died at the same time?
Why where their children and wives all in the same tomb?

[harrybruijs]

Four of the last six pharaos of the 18th dynasty were not products of sister brother mariages, among them Tutmosis 3, so why would that be the reason of the end. For that you don't need genetic proof, simple read the documents. King Tut certainly was married with his halfsister and was so far as I know the product of a brother sister mariage, but she wasn't. The reason is simple that he died to young. When he had lived long enough he could have many more wives and sired sons that lived long enough. Also their are glaring mistakes in the commentary. Tutmosis 3 didn't extend the empire to the Black Sea, because for that he should have defeated the Hittites, which he didn't. Achanaton could have had a genetic disease, but that wasn't because of inbreading, because his mother wasn't his fathers sister. In fact she wasn't even of royal descent, but the daughter of commoners.
Most of the video's about Egyptian history are about abberations and without any context. Also the tone is always very sensational. Were is the video about the highpoint of Egyptian civilization, the middle kingdom. Nowhere because it is not sensational .

[steliaria]

I'm not really sure if the 2 female mummified fetuses found in Tutankhamun's tomb were actually unborn, they do look quite grown which suggests that they either died very close to the end of the pregnancy or that they were born but this significantly too early, which caused them to die during infancy.

(Edit:)
Well i did some quick research and it turns out that my assumptions were correct, the first daughter called 317a was born to early between the 5 and 6 month of the pregnancy, meanwhile the second child named 317b was born normally after the 9 month of pregnancy, Both of them sadly still died as very young infants.

[jacquelinea]

We can be grateful that at least Thutankamen's tomb was lost and probably forgotten for so many years that the tomb raiders couldn't find it. What we wouldn't know about ancient Egypt without that grave.

[brennac.mabrouk]

There are 7 pyramids at Giza. Why are they saying there are only 3? I spent a month traveling in lower Egypt and visited Giza. I was quizzed and failed by saying there were only 3 pyramids. The guide corrected me and said there are actually 7 pyramids at Giza. The smaller ones are known as Queen's tombs.
If you go to Egypt, definitely visit the Tower of Egypt and go to the top. You can see the pyramids at Giza which are 20 miles away and the pyramids at Memphis from the top observatory. Not to mention what a BEAUTIFUL site the city, opera house below, and Nile are. Egypt is AMAZING!

[JustNora]

I feel so bad about the bad tracking on the first part. I hope someone is able to find a better copy for you guys. I remember watching these, or similar videos in school or on the weekends back when the History Channel was a respected name for where to watch documentaries and not just a place to see a funky dude talk about aliens.

[historical.isolde]

A comment for everyone as Youtube doesn't often tell you the actuall documentery title or release date (and often cut the closing credits at the end as well.

This documentary was released as a 3 episode mini-series (here condensed in to one) as "Secrets of the Pharaohs" in 2001. As in, the DNA tests taken during filming were literally being taken LAST CENTURY.

DNA (and ancient DNA in particular) testing has come a long way since then.

[teaberrywmn]

I find it interesting that, we, in the modern ages, portray our lives in much the same way despite life's illnesses and tragedies. This is a very interesting film on so many levels.

[RinTV]

This documentary is ancient technology itself.

[DUCKSAREEVILLLLLLLL]

1:42:50. Economist and Professor Micheal Hudson has been saying for years that the workers building the pyramids weren't slaves, but were actually voluntary corvee' labor. They received decent food and drink in exchange for their labor, and they would go from project to project so they had a reliable and consistent way of life. They were actually some of the luckier ancient people. Some of them got into arrears, but the kings would periodically grant jubilees so that these workers didn't fall into unpayable debt and have to escape to another ruler's domain to have a "clean slate". Records of the payment schedules still exist and it seems like the ancient Egyptians had a more advanced understanding of economics than our rulers do today.

P.S. Actually, Hudson mostly cited the works of other Egyptologists and historians, but they are typically very bad at self promotion.

[JustNora]

In the 90s Egyptology seemed to be a big thing and I find it sad to see those old crt monitors knowing how much advancement we've had in genetic testing, processing, and mapping in the twenty plus years since that I DO really wonder what new things their genetics could tell us.

[onelife-celebrateit]

The lotus mentioned here I feel is actually the blue water lilly which is not that rare here in Kerala, India. We do call it neelathamara though. Aambal is the water lilly, thamara is the lotus in our language Malayalam. Infact I am growing the pink and white varieties in cement pots in my own home. Quite common in our ponds and paddy fields.

[oyageryramaira]

i wanna know if they can trace the DNA line of these mummys up to people still alive today??

[Saffron-sugar]

Small correction: the baby mummies, children of pharaoh Tutankhamun discussed here
were not “unborn“.
That doesn’t make any sense. In reality, they were born prematurely. One child around 27 weeks (considered viable these days) and the other around 37 weeks (nearly full term).
Known as Mummies 317a and 317b, at one point, they were believed to have spinal bifida and Sprengel's deformity, but many researchers disagree. No cause of death has been determined to this day.

[ALifeWellSteved]

I’m always so torn. Part of me feels so sad that we disturbed their final resting places. Yet another part of me thinks that this was why they spent so much effort mummifying themselves. So that there was no question about exactly who they were for all time. Can’t doubt lineages if you still have the bodies and DNA.