For centuries — millennia actually — the golden mask that adorned his casket was the only way we had any idea what King Tut looked like.
As you probably know, that golden mask — with the stylized beard, the pharaoh's headgear and the scepter — has lent the life of the boy king an almost godly face. He was, after all, the pharaoh who died at age 19: King Tutankhamun (search) — or King Tut to the rest of us.
People have wanted to know a few things about King Tut over the years: What did he look like, and what did he die of?
Well, we now have the latest CAT scan/computer aided image of what the boy king looked like at the time of his death.
Three teams took the same electronic data and put together a face. And the Egyptian team produced an image, which the Egyptian experts also say is the one version of King Tut who looks most Egyptian.
The French and American teams evidently put together a picture of King Tut that seems to Egyptians less likely to be real. After all, wouldn't Egyptians know an Egyptian-look best?
Anyway, he doesn't look so different now does he? A young man with deep eyes, big lips, a receding chin and an elongated skull.
Put some hair and a wispy beard on him and I swear he pumped gas into my car a few months ago — an Egyptian exchange student. He spoke English very well and said he liked America.
I don't know about you, but seeing this picture of the 19-year-old king makes me feel closer to him. Kind of looks like a guy you might see around.
By the way, lots of intrigue about how Tut died. Was it a palace coup? An assassination carried out by scheming brothers or pretenders to the throne?
No. The experts say he broke his leg and probably died quickly of gangrene.
So, there you go — the mystery of King Tut solved.
That's My Word.
Watch John Gibson weekdays at 5 p.m. ET on "The Big Story" and send your comments to: myword@foxnews.com
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