It is one of ancient Egypt’s great mysteries: A boy king with a legendary treasure. His parents disappear. He dies mysteriously at the age of 19. His burial is bizarre, unlike any other. King Tutankhamun is one of the world’s icons… but beyond the golden fortune, what do we really know about this shadowy figure? Who were his mother and father? Why have their bodies never been found? Why was his name, and theirs, erased from the Book of Kings? Can we discover the details of his life, his death—and why his mummification is so strange? Can we actually track down the mummies of his parents who vanished so long ago and solve these mysteries? Now, renowned Egyptologist Dr. Zahi Hawass and his scientific team have finally unlocked Tutankhamun’s secrets with state-of-the-art technology. Their goal--to reunite King Tut with his family… his missing father, mother, and children. For the first time ever, they have used DNA testing on King Tut and his family, the royal mummies of Egypt’s Golden Age. Combined with the latest CT scan technology, and the hands-on approach of forensic anthropology, the team has unraveled once and for all the mysteries of the boy king in this landmark investigation.

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	SHOW ONE, "ROYAL BLOOD" tells the story of Tut’s early years and will unravel the mystery of who his parents were and what happened to them. Through a series of groundbreaking scientific studies, archaeological investigations and forensic research, this two-hour program will identify the mummies of Tut’s mother and father and reconstruct the young pharaoh’s family tree. Tut’s Father A 3,000 year old mystery is about to be solved: Could the leader of the Amarna Revolution – Akhenaten – prove to be the lead candidate for King Tut’s father? Will the mummy of the mercurial and mysterious Egyptian King Smenkhkare be found and who will the science show him to be —Tut’s father or brother? The answers lies in the DNA. CT scan analysis allows us to reveal new forensic clues about the similarities of these candidates to Tut. Advances in DNA science will show a match between father and son and an archaeological discovery will confirm his identity. Tut’s Mother Was the legendary Queen Nefertiti the boy king’s mother, or was it another renowned queen of the 18th Dynasty – Queen Tiye – or is a second wife of Akhenaten, Queen Kiya, in the running? Tut’s Childhood Artfully woven throughout this remarkable scientific investigation are the stories of what Tut’s life at Amarna may have been like. The show examines the rise and fall of one of Egypt’s most contentious leaders – Pharaoh Akhenaten and looks at the turmoil surrounding the Amarna revolution – the tumultuous period Tut was born into and raised in. Though not much is known about his early life, through a host of revealing archaeological clues our experts will paint a picture of not only how Tut came to the throne, but how he managed to transform Egypt as he became a mature pharaoh.

			SHOW TWO, "LIFE AND DEATH" tells the story of the adult Tut, the last chapters of his life, his death and his progeny: What was the adult Tut like? How exactly did he die? Did he have children, and what became of them? What happened to his body after his death? Why is his mummification so odd? Again with the same pioneering DNA investigation at its crux, this show will attempt to finally give conclusive answers to these questions. Tut’s Children Tutankhamun was buried with two tiny fetuses – at the time of their discovery, the images of these tiny yet perfectly preserved mummies were so shocking, some wondered if they were even human. Through CT scan analysis and DNA testing the team of scientist hope to determine whether these were really Tut’s children and find out why they died so young. Tut’s Wife If King Tut had kids, then whom did he have them with? Was there a love story to King Tut’s life? Images from the time show a very young [12-13], loving couple… And she was not just his wife; she was also most likely his sister! What became of her? She’s been lost 3000 years. However, Zahi has a lead; two recently rediscovered mummies from the valley of the Kings, both princesses of the 18th Dynasty… with DNA testing, perhaps there is a chance to find Tut’s lost bride. Tut as a pharaoh The common perception of Tut is of a sickly, fragile, helpless boy King, manipulated by his advisors. However, new archaeological and scientific data which our investigators are bringing to light is painting a very different portrait of Tut. Not only is there evidence that he was politically active in his own right, but he may have even gone into battle himself, just as his warrior ancestors before him. Tut’s death Everybody has always wanted to know why Tut died so young, so abruptly. Latest evidence has indicated that, rather than being murdered, his death may have been a tragic accident. CT scans revealed a break on Tut’s leg bone—a fracture made right before his death, believed to have led to a fatal infection. But how and why did it happen? Brand new analysis of CT scans is revealing that Tut may have suffered a disease in his final years of life, a potentially crippling condition that could have contributed to his accident. Did Tut die in a battle or a hunting accident, perhaps far from home? His mummification was unusual with vast quantities of resin. Could he have died abroad, been smothered in resin for preservation, and been rushed back to Luxor? To really decipher Tut’s death a new analysis the resin could hold the key—for it allows us to unravel many mysteries. The team will use different molecular masses of materials to break down and discover the components of the resin and advanced chemical and botanical analysis. If there are foreign botanical ingredients, it could prove he actually did die far from home. CHARACTERS Both shows follow this landmark investigation of the charismatic Dr. Zahi Hawass who is our lead character. His scientific team comprises both Egyptian and international experts, including radiologist Dr. Ashraf Selim and world renowned ancient DNA expert, Dr. Albert Zink, director of the Institute for Mummies and the Iceman at EURAC. On the archaeological front, supporting Dr. Zahi are, Dr. Barry Kemp, of Cambridge University, Coleen Manassa and John Darnell from Yale, Marc Gabolde from the University of Monpellier and Aidan Dodson from Bristol University.

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