King Tut Unwrapped

Episode 1

Royal Blood

Sun, Feb 21, 2010 87 mins

World-renowned Egyptologist Zahi Hawass leads an unprecedented forensic investigation into the life and times of King Tut that reveals for the first time the identity of Tut's parents and grandparents. Part One of KING TUT UNWRAPPED follows the delicate, first-ever DNA extraction from Tut's mummy that sets into motion a series of cross-reference studies to determine the Boy King's family. The road to understanding the Tut family tree begins with filling out his parents' branches. Based on historical records and previous digs, Dr. Hawass determines Tut's father could be one of three Egyptian pharaohs: the successful and popular second king of the 18th Dynasty Amenhotep III; the radical and controversial Akhenaten, who moved Egypt into the age of monotheism or the little-known Smenkhkare who reigned just prior to Tut's rule. To effectively solve this mystery, the team tests Tut's DNA against the mummies of these three candidates. When Howard Carter discovered the riches of King Tut's tomb in 1922, who could have predicted that almost a century later the ancient chamber would be the site for the cutting edge of Egyptology? KING TUT UNWRAPPED details the edge-of-your-seat process as researchers hold their breath and oh so gingerly but successfully extract DNA for the first time from Tut's mummy. There is triumph in the lab but that is only the start of the Tut family odyssey. With successful genetic sequencing of Tut's father, Hawass is able to pursue leads that will eventually point to Tut's mother and grandparents. From the pristine interiors and precision work of the DNA lab to dusty, unpredictable dig sites in the field, Dr. Hawass leads an intense, deeply personal journey for the truth.