King Tut

Archaeologists have weaved elaborate tales of intrigue and deceit about the death at age 19 of Egypt's fabled boy king Tutankhamen, with theories that include poisoning by his regent, Aye, and a blow to the head by thugs hired by Aye, but new research indicates his cause of death was probably more mundane -- complications from a broken leg and malaria. Using a new approach for analyzing mummies called molecular Egyptology, an international team of researchers found DNA traces of malaria parasites in the boy-king's brain, suggesting an infection was a major factor in his death.

Christiane Desroches Noblecourt Pioneering Egyptologist saved antiquities from Aswan flooding Christiane Desroches Noblecourt, 97, a pioneering French Egyptologist who helped salvage Nubia's vaunted antiquities from flooding caused by the construction of the Aswan Dam, died Thursday at a hospital in Epernay, east of Paris, after a stroke. Born Nov. 17, 1913, in Paris, Desroches Noblecourt developed an early passion for Egypt after reading about the discovery of King Tut's tomb in the early 1920s.

Amid the violent upheaval in Egypt that has sent visitors packing , one key element in the Egyptian tourism trade is still in business: King Tut on tour. Since 1922, when archaeologist Howard Carter uncovered Tutankhamen’s tomb, Americans have been fascinated by ancient Egypt, and Egypt has periodically capitalized by sending artifacts on museum tours. From 1976 to 1979, a small collection of treasures from the tomb of the "boy king," who reigned from 1333-23 BC , traveled to seven U.S. cities, drawing 8 million visitors, ushering in a new museum era of “blockbuster” shows and inspiring a hit single by comedian Steve Martin.

CT scans of Egyptian mummies show that many of them suffered from hardening of their arteries, researchers said Sunday. Cardiologists have generally believed that atherosclerosis is a byproduct of the modern lifestyle, caused by eating foods that are too high in fats, lack of exercise and smoking. The new findings indicate that "we may understand atherosclerosis less well than we think," Dr. Gregory S. Thomas, a cardiologist at UC Irvine, told a New Orleans meeting of the American College of Cardiology.

CT scans of Egyptian mummies show that many of them suffered from hardening of their arteries, researchers said Sunday. Cardiologists have generally believed that atherosclerosis is a byproduct of the modern lifestyle, caused by eating foods that are too high in fats, lack of exercise and smoking. The new findings indicate that "we may understand atherosclerosis less well than we think," Dr. Gregory S. Thomas, a cardiologist at UC Irvine, told a New Orleans meeting of the American College of Cardiology.

From the folks who brought you "Return to the Titanic . . . ," the second-highest rated special in syndication history, comes now "Mysteries of the Pyramids . . . Live," set to air around the country on April 20 (KTLA-TV Channel 5 in Los Angeles). However, the program's main focus won't be the pyramids--or Egypt, for that matter. Most of the action will emanate from England.

In summer 1978, I suffered the mummy's curse when I nearly fainted in the stuffy, overcrowded heat of the first King Tut show at LACMA ["Curse of the Blockbuster?" May 22]. Fortunately, I'm tall enough so I could see over the many heads to enjoy the art at the Van Gogh show, but the bad part was the annoying buzz from people with their museum headsets turned up too loud. In recent years I've been favoring smaller, less-crowded exhibits. I appreciate the value of all of the artifacts, but if the Tut show promotes itself as a blockbuster event, yet doesn't include the king's beautiful burial mask, it's not worth the $30. It sounds like the curse of the lackluster to me. Judging by Mike Boehm's article, Steve Martin had it right when he paid homage to Tut by placing a blender at his feet.

I was very disappointed in the King Tut exhibit at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art ["Audience With the Boy King," by David Pagel, June 17]. When we got there with our advance tickets, we had to wait in four sets of lines to get into the museum, which wasn't as bad as it sounds, but it should have prepared me for the hundreds of mini-lines you have to wait in once you get inside. You see, each artifact has a line. The exhibit is not in one large room but in many small, dark, claustrophobic rooms with multiple objects to view in each one. We were packed in there like sardines and it made viewing these precious items miserable.

Christiane Desroches Noblecourt Pioneering Egyptologist saved antiquities from Aswan flooding Christiane Desroches Noblecourt, 97, a pioneering French Egyptologist who helped salvage Nubia's vaunted antiquities from flooding caused by the construction of the Aswan Dam, died Thursday at a hospital in Epernay, east of Paris, after a stroke. Born Nov. 17, 1913, in Paris, Desroches Noblecourt developed an early passion for Egypt after reading about the discovery of King Tut's tomb in the early 1920s.

Amid the violent upheaval in Egypt that has sent visitors packing , one key element in the Egyptian tourism trade is still in business: King Tut on tour. Since 1922, when archaeologist Howard Carter uncovered Tutankhamen’s tomb, Americans have been fascinated by ancient Egypt, and Egypt has periodically capitalized by sending artifacts on museum tours. From 1976 to 1979, a small collection of treasures from the tomb of the "boy king," who reigned from 1333-23 BC , traveled to seven U.S. cities, drawing 8 million visitors, ushering in a new museum era of “blockbuster” shows and inspiring a hit single by comedian Steve Martin.

Strange that no horror movie ever featured these creatures from the crypts of ancient Egypt — crocodile mummies. The toothy reptiles were embalmed and wrapped in worship of the crocodile god Sobek, and two painstakingly preserved 2,000-year-old specimens are now on display at UC Berkeley in an ancient Egypt exhibit that marks a sharp departure from touring King Tut spectacles. Berkeley's show at the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology is free, small and devoid of crowds.

A star teacher Re "A tug of war over a teacher," Feb. 15 Thank you so much for your article about Gerald Freedman's struggle to stay at Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. Freedman was one of the best teachers I ever had, and hundreds of other alumni have signed petitions and written letters to those in charge at L.A. Unified to keep him at the high school. When a teacher has been at the same school for more than 20 years, has won numerous teaching awards, and hundreds of students and parents cause an uproar when his position is threatened, perhaps that means we have found an amazing teacher and shouldn't push him away because of a technicality.

Archaeologists have weaved elaborate tales of intrigue and deceit about the death at age 19 of Egypt's fabled boy king Tutankhamen, with theories that include poisoning by his regent, Aye, and a blow to the head by thugs hired by Aye, but new research indicates his cause of death was probably more mundane -- complications from a broken leg and malaria. Using a new approach for analyzing mummies called molecular Egyptology, an international team of researchers found DNA traces of malaria parasites in the boy-king's brain, suggesting an infection was a major factor in his death.

Rankings are based on a Times poll of Southland bookstores. -- Fiction weeks on list 1. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown (Doubleday: $25.99) Harvard 4 professor Robert Langdon uses his symbology skills to find a missing Freemason in Washington, D.C. 2. The Help by Kathryn Stockett (Putnam: $24.95) The lives 19 of a maid, a cook and a college graduate become intertwined while changing a Mississippi town. 3. Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby (Riverhead: $25.95) A woman 1 acquaints herself with the songwriter whose album caused the breakup of her relationship.

Conceived by Tavis Smiley, a sweeping historical and cultural survey of the black American experience called "America I Am: The African American Imprint" will arrive in L.A. on Oct. 30 for a 5 1/2 -month run at the California Science Center in Exposition Park, it was announced Wednesday. Smiley, who hosts talk shows on public radio and television, said the idea took hold early in 2007 after he took part in events surrounding the 400th anniversary of the founding of the Jamestown colony, the first permanent British outpost in America -- and the arrival point for its first African slaves.

King Tut's mummified face was unveiled for the first time in public -- more than 3,000 years after the Egyptian pharaoh was shrouded in linen and buried. Archeologists carefully lifted the fragile mummy out of a quartz sarcophagus decorated with stone-carved protective goddesses in his tomb in Luxor, momentarily pulling aside a beige covering to reveal a leathery black body.

Strange that no horror movie ever featured these creatures from the crypts of ancient Egypt — crocodile mummies. The toothy reptiles were embalmed and wrapped in worship of the crocodile god Sobek, and two painstakingly preserved 2,000-year-old specimens are now on display at UC Berkeley in an ancient Egypt exhibit that marks a sharp departure from touring King Tut spectacles. Berkeley's show at the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology is free, small and devoid of crowds.

S.F. next on Tut's itinerary King Tut's touring Texas? About 430,000 visitors bought tickets to the blockbuster "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs" show at the Dallas Art Museum, making it the most-visited exhibition in the museum's 100-year history. This show originated in L.A. in 2005 and set attendance records when it toured for two years before returning to the U.S in October.

King Tut's mummified face was unveiled for the first time in public -- more than 3,000 years after the Egyptian pharaoh was shrouded in linen and buried. Archeologists carefully lifted the fragile mummy out of a quartz sarcophagus decorated with stone-carved protective goddesses in his tomb in Luxor, momentarily pulling aside a beige covering to reveal a leathery black body.