Cairo, Egypt

One of the most iconic Egyptian relics, the death mask of King Tutankhamun, perhaps was never made for the late pharaoh, according to a new study carried out by a team from the University of York in the UK.

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According to the researchers, the mask was actually created for a high-status female who most likely was the stepmother of King Tut, whose body was never discovered. 

According to a hypothesis of the researchers, the sudden death of Tutankhamun may have led to his face getting grafted on the top of the mask's true owner.

Speaking about the mask, Professor Joann Fletcher said, "This mask was not made for an adult male pharaoh; when the gold was compared, [they found] the face is made of completely different gold to the rest."

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The new theory was finalised by the researchers after they re-examined the 1922 excavation's historical records and found mentions of body modifications which did not match with the ancient Egyptian tradition.

In one document it was stated, "Honed in on one long-overlooked feature... the decidedly pierced ears on the death mask."

According to the researchers, although the pharaohs wore earrings, similar modifications were not done on the death mask. 

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The piercings were only made on the masks of children and queens. 

Also Read: Archaeologists discover a 4000-year-old coffin inside another coffin of Egyptian priestess

The revelations were made by Professor Fletcher in a newly-released documentary in which she said that she is sure the death mask was not designed specifically for King Tut.

All about Tutankhamun's step-mother Nefertiti

In 2015, Egyptologist Nicholas Reeves first proposed the idea and claimed that the golden mask belonged to the young king's stepmother, Queen Nefertiti.

Nefertiti married Tutankhamun's father, Akhenaten, however, her tomb has not been discovered as of yet.

King Tutankhamun was just nine years old when he ascended to the Egyptian throne and ruled from 1332 BC to 1323 BC.

British archaeologist Howard Carter found the mask in the lavish tomb of Tut in 1922 in the Valley of the Kings on the west bank of the Nile River.

In those times, a death mask was created for both pharaohs and locals to honour the deceased and set up his/her connection with the spiritual world.

The mask of the pharaoh was made of gold or silver, while those of the locals were made of wood or clay. The mask used to be similar to the face of the deceased.

(With inputs from agencies)