Tutankhamun cherished ostrich hunting

The ostrich-feather fan that belonged to Tutankhamun was found resting next to the king's body in his burial chamber. The fan's original design featured a long golden handle with a semi-circular 'palm' on top that held 42 alternately brown and white feathers. The inscription on the fan handle captures the tale of these feathers before they long since disintegrated. This reveals that the ostriches used in the feathers were shot by the monarch himself while he was out hunting in the desert to the east of Heliopolis (near modern-day Cairo). The palm's engraved scene depicts Tutankhamun leaving in his chariot to chase an ostrich on one face and the king triumphantly returning with his catch on the other.

Ancient Egyptians valued ostriches highly and used their feathers and eggs to make expensive goods. Ostrich hunting was a regal pastime that gave the king a chance to show off his mastery of nature. It was a less risky occupation because it served as an alternative to combat. Before being mummified, Tutankhamun's body had sustained significant damage. Is it important that his ostrich fan is held so close to his body? Maybe someone is trying to inform us that the young monarch passed away after an ostrich hunt went wrong.