Class 11 English Hornbill Chapter 3 – Discovering Tut: The Saga Continues (A.R. Williams) Long Question Answers

 

NCERT Solutions For Class 11 English

Hornbill

Chapter 3 – Discovering Tut: The Saga Continues (A.R. Williams)

Long Question Answers

Question 1.

Who was Tutankhaten? Why had his mummy undergone a CT scan?

Answer:

The young pharaoh Tutankhaten, better known as King Tut, was the final heir of a powerful dynasty that had ruled Egypt and its empire for centuries. Ascending the throne at a tender age, he later changed his name to Tutankhamun, meaning "living image of Amun." Reigning for about nine years, he met an unexpected demise in his teenage years. His mummy underwent a CT scan to scientifically reveal new insights about his life and death, providing precise data for an accurate forensic reconstruction.

 

Question 2.

Who discovered King Tut’s tomb for the first time?

Answer:

British archaeologist Howard Carter, after years of fruitless searching, was the first to discover King Tut’s tomb in 1922. During Tut's era, royalty amassed tremendous wealth, believing they could carry their riches into the afterlife. Carter unearthed various gold artifacts in Tut's coffin after meticulously recording his funerary treasures. Upon investigating the three nested coffins, Carter found a shroud adorned with garlands in the first one.

 

Question 3.

“When he finally reached the mummy, though, he ran into trouble.” Who ran into trouble and how did he find a solution?

Answer:

British archaeologist Howard Carter, the discoverer of King Tut’s tomb in 1922, encountered trouble when reaching the mummy in Tut’s coffin. Carter discovered that ritual resins had hardened over time, cementing Tut to the bottom of his solid gold coffin. Despite attempts to loosen the resin by exposing the mummy to blazing sunshine, Carter found no alternative but to carefully chisel away the consolidated material beneath the limbs and trunk. This was necessary to raise the King’s remains and prevent potential theft of the gold.

 

Question 4.

How has archaeological investigation changed in modern times?

Answer:

Archaeological investigation has undergone significant changes in modern times. Archaeology now focuses less on treasures and more on unraveling the intricate details of life and exploring the intriguing mysteries of death. Technological advancements play a key role, with archaeologists utilizing more sophisticated tools, including medical technology. For instance, in 1968, an anatomy professor X-rayed Tut’s mummy, revealing missing breast-bone and front ribs. Today, diagnostic imaging, such as computed tomography or CT, enables a three-dimensional virtual body by combining hundreds of X-rays in cross-section.

 

Question 5.

How was the mummy of King Tut CT scanned?

Answer:

The CT scanning of King Tut’s mummy commenced at 6 p.m. on January 5, 2005. Workmen carefully transported Tut's mummy from the tomb to the scanner-equipped trailer. The scanning process began after substitute fans were attached due to the original fans stopping because of sand in the cooler fan. Following the successful scan, the technicians checked for data loss before returning Tut to his tomb. The entire procedure took less than three hours, and the resulting images of Tut's mummy, displayed on a computer screen, revealed astonishing details.