Abstract
The pharaohs of Egypt's famous eighteenth dynasty all died early of unknown causes.
This paper comprehensively reviews and analyses the medical literature and current
evidence available for the New Kingdom rulers — Tuthmosis IV, Amenhotep III, Akhenaten,
Smenkhkare and Tutankhamun. The integration of these sources reveals that the eighteenth
dynasty rulers may have suffered from an inherited condition that may explain their
untimely deaths. The description of recurring strong religious visions, likely neurological
disease and gynecomastia, supports the theory that these pharaohs may have suffered
from a familial temporal epilepsy syndrome that ultimately led to their early downfall.
Highlights
- The Pharaohs of Egypt's famous Eighteenth Dynasty all died early of unknown causes.
- These untimely deaths may reveal a common underlying inherited pathology.
- The Pharaohs displayed evidence of feminization.
- There is consistent evidence of familial light induced religious visions.
- This may reveal these Pharaohs suffered from a familial.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
June 9,
2012
Received in revised form:
June 6,
2012
Received:
May 1,
2012
Identification
Copyright
© 2012 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
