Yet more re Akhenaten's possible androgyny
Suite 101 (Stan Parchin)
As reported by the Associated Press on May 2, 2008, a Yale University physician who explores the unsatisfactorily explained deaths of historical figures has concluded that the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten (r. 1353-1336 B.C.) suffered from familial gynecomastia, a condition that left the ruler with a female physique. Dr. Irwin Braverman presented his findings at the University of Maryland School of Medicine's Historical Clinicopathological Conference after having studied numerous statues, relief sculptures and carvings of the enigmatic New Kingdom pharaoh, including those in the current traveling exhibition Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs.
examiner.com (Melissa Sorger)
While many other pharaohs and members of his family have been preserved, no mummy of Akhenaten has been found.
Without a body, it makes it difficult for researchers to prove their theories on what diseases caused Akhenaten to have such feminine features along with an elongated head.
Dr. Irwin M. Braverman, a professor of dermatology at Yale University School of Medicine, raised the possibility of using eight mummies of Akhenaten’s relatives, which are available for genetic analysis, to test for diseases.
“DNA from the mummy’s bone marrow could be analyzed to look for the gene defect,” Braverman said.
After ruling out numerous syndromes past researchers have suggested, Braverman believes Akhenaten might have had an inherited syndrome called Aromatase Excess Syndrome.
Also on National Geographic.
- Head Of Amarna Princess
Art Museum Journal (Stan Parchin) Stan has written a piece about one of the Amarna princess sculptures. With photo. Pharaoh Akhenaten (r. 1353-1336 B.C.) dedicated his 17-year reign and the resources of New Kingdom Egypt to the exclusive worship of the...
- More Re Dna Studies - Focusing On Akhenaten
AP News This article focuses on the identification of the mummy in KV55 as Akhenaten and also looks at why Akhenaten was more important in ancient Egypt than Tutankhamun. Here's an extract. The discovery of Akhenaten's remains lay to rest longtime...
- Royal Diagnosis
Yale Alumni Magazine (Bruce Fellman) Thanks very much to Carole Bass for sending me this link. As far as I can tell Braverman hasn't added anything that he hasn't already said in previous papers but I haven't read the paper that ths report...
- More Re Genetic Makeup Of Akhenaten
USA Today Akhenaten wasn't the most manly pharaoh, even though he fathered at least a half-dozen children. In fact, his form was quite feminine. And he was a bit of an egghead. So concludes a Yale University physician who analyzed images of Akhenaten...
- Akhenaten Appearence May Have Been Due To Genetic Mutation
Fox News Many thanks to Rhio Barnhart for the link to the above story. Akhenaten wasn't the most manly pharaoh, even though he fathered at least a half-dozen children. In fact, his form was quite feminine. And he was a bit of an egghead. So concludes...