Who was King Tut? For the first time, the boy's DNA is mapped; his family identified; his short life investigated and detailed.

World-renowned Egyptologist, Dr 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; his cause of death; and new details of his reign in a two-night world premiere special event, King Tut Unwrapped, airing in May on Discovery Channel (DStv channel 121).

Papers published today in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) detail the painstaking medical and archeological research conducted by an international team of field experts. Part One of King Tut Unwrapped follows the delicate, first-ever DNA extraction from Tut’s mummy, setting into motion a series of cross-reference studies to determine the Boy King’s family. Part Two uses never-before-examined evidence from Tut’s mummy to conclude what caused his death and how that information sheds new light on his reign as a military; religious; and political leader.

“We’re really excited to be working with Dr Zahi Hawass and his team again and to be exclusively following this important work in King Tut Unwrapped on Discovery Channel. The life and death of King Tut continues to capture the imagination of our viewers all over the world and we’re sure that this fascinating new research, blending both cutting-edge technology and traditional archeology, will open up a new chapter in Egyptology.” said Caleb Weinstein, Senior Vice-President and General Manager of Discovery Networks, Emerging Markets.

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 great Egyptian pharaohs: the successful and popular second king of the 18th Dynasty, Amenhotep III; the radical and controversial Akhenaton, who moved Egypt into the age of monotheism; or the little-known Smenkhare, who reigned just prior to Tut’s rule. To effectively solve this mystery, the team will need to test 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.

Specimens now abound for testing, but the expert team assembled at Discovery Channel’s DNA lab at the Cairo Museum faces challenge upon challenge in connecting the forensic dots. In order to test the ancient DNA, Assistant Professor, Dr Carsten M. Pusch of the University of Tübingen’s Institute of Anthropology and Human Genetics in Tubingen, Germany, and Professor Albert Zink of the EURAC-Institute for Mummies and the Iceman in Bolzano, Italy, work with Dr Yehia Zakaria Gad of the Department of Medical Molecular Genetics at Cairo’s National Research Center to perform, for the first time, microsatellite-based DNA-fingerprinting on familial Egyptian mummies.

There is triumph in the lab but that is only the start of the Tut family odyssey. With successful DNA sequencing of Tut’s father, Hawass is able to pursue leads that will eventually point to Tut’s mother and grandparents. King Tut Unwrapped is a juggernaut of science; history; national pride; and professional drive. 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.

King Tut Unwrapped is produced for Discovery Channel by Brando Quilici Productions. Brando Quilici is Executive Producer for Brando Quilici Productions. Paul Gasek is Executive Producer for Discovery Channel. King Tut Unwrapped premieres in May on Discovery Channel (DStv channel 121).