Careers in the News: Forensic Archaeology and the Demystified Death of King Tut

by Nari Lee '17

"Thank Ra my cats were mummified carefully."
[image via]

A team of British experts shed some light on the long unsolved mystery of King Tutankhamen’s death when they recently announced that the boy pharaoh was likely killed in a chariot accident. The team’s findings also explain that the mummy was burnt because of a botched mummification.  Forensic archaeologist Dr. Matthew Ponting was key in this discovery by helping to analyze a sample of Tutankhamen’s flesh through a scanning electron microscope. The findings state that the pharoah’s preserved body burst into a contained flame in his sealed coffin as a result of the chemical reaction between embalming oils and linen. (1) 

What exactly is a forensic archaeologist? According to The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Arhcaeology, forensic archaeology is:

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an expanding branch of archaeological investigation in which the methods and approaches of archaeology are applied to legal problems and in connection with the work of courts of law. Most commonly this involves the reconstruction of chronology and sequence events from the deposits found within and around graves and burial sites for homicide cases and investigations into the violation of human rights. (2)

Here are the straight-up facts about the job:

• It is a highly competitive area, so getting as much experience and schooling as possible is the best way to gain a competitive edge. (3)
  

• The schooling required is at least a Master's or PhD in forensic archaeology. (3)
  

• Only a select few British schools offer specialized forensic archaeology courses, but a number of American and British universities offer courses related to forensic archaeology.
  

• Board certification is also required (in the U.S. it is given by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology). (4)
  

• A forensic archaeologist makes on average about $60,230 a year. (5)
  

• The salaries vary widely based on experience, education, and location from an average of  $33,330 to $91,140 per year. (5)
  

• Jobs are mostly found through networking (as it is with any kind of archaeology). (4)
  

• According to the Chicora foundation, a forensic archaeologist “provide[s] field guidance on the age, sex, and other physical characteristics of [human] remains . . . [and] examines the scene so that artifacts will be accurately located and recovered.” (6)
  

Though forensic archaeologists work mainly within the criminal justice system, they can also aid in archaeological research, as one did in the investigation of King Tutankhamen’s death.

For those who wish to learn more about the discovery, watch Tutankhamun: The Mystery of the Burnt Mummy.

1. Owen J. Solved: The mystery of King Tutankhamen’s death. The Independent  [Internet]. 2013 Nov 3 [cited 2013 Nov 5]. Available from:      http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/solved-the-mystery-of-king-tutankhamuns-death-8919262.html
   
2. Darvill TI. Forensic Archaeology. In: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology [Internet]. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2008 [last modified 2012; cited 2013 Nov  5]. Available from: http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199534043.001.0001/acref-9780199534043-e-1543?rskey=W9yJw1&result=1
   
3. Careers and Employability Service [Internet]. Canterbury: The University of Kent; [date unknown]. I Want to Work In… Archaeology; [date unknown] [updated 2012; cited 2013 Nov 6]; [about 2 screens]. Available from: http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/workin/archaeology.htm
   
4. Hirst KR. Archaeology [Internet]. [place unkown]: About.com; 1999. How do I Find a Job in Forensic Archaeology?; [date unknown] [cited 2013 Nov 6]; [about 2 screens]. Available from: http://archaeology.about.com/od/questionoftheweek/qt/forensic_job.htm
   
5. Occupational Employment Statistics [Internet]. Washington, DC: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; 1884. Anthropologists and Archaeologists; 2012 May [last modified 29 Mar 2013; cited 2013 Nov 6]; [about 10 screens]. Available from: http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes193091.htm
   
6. Chicora Foundation, Inc [Internet]. Columbia (SC): Chicora Foundation, Inc; 2008. Forensic Archaeology; [date unknown] [cited 2013 Nov 5]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: http://www.chicora.org/forensic-archaeology.html