204: Sety’s Last Journey

Sety I died in the III month of Shemu (the harvest season). Roughly June, in the modern calendar.  He had reigned for eleven full years; and remarkably, the King passed to the west just a few days after the “anniversary” of his appearance. Comparing various texts, scholars date Sety’s accession to the III month of Shemu, day 24 (or thereabouts).  But Sety’s son and heir, Ramesses II, marked his accession on III Shemu 27 (and he did that quite publicly, in a way that has left many records). Working backwards, it seems that Sety took power on III Smw 24. Eleven years later, he marked the anniversary and then, just a couple days later, he died.

I should note that the length of Sety’s reign is a matter of debate. In earlier days, scholars credited him with a much longer reign, perhaps 15 years or more.  That was partly based on his monuments; so numerous and so splendid. It seemed unlikely a king could build such wonders in a short reign. More recently, the pendulum has swung a bit to giving Sety 10 years, approximately. The highest indisputable date is Year 9, with records from Aswan and Kanais. There’s also the Gebel Barkal stela, that seems to say 11 years, although scholars like Jacobus van Dijk have disputed that one.  At the moment, ten years plus-or-minus seems safe; a long reign far more unlikely. With that in mind, I’ve stuck with 11 years, roughly “in the middle” of the various interpretations. As always, that is just a guideline. Dates are subject to change with new discoveries and scholarship, so don’t treat my word as gospel If you’d like to know more, see the references for this episode.

At the time of his death, Sety was approximately forty-five years old.  We know that because his mummy has survived. It was discovered in the late 1800s, buried in one of the royal caches. The king lay in a wooden coffin (not his original one), labelled in triplicate with texts from the priest who had inspected his tomb, removed his mummy, and reburied him in secret. From those texts, and the mummy’s physical features (comparing Sety to his father, son, and descendants), the identification is pretty secure. Assuming that’s accurate, we have a strong basis for studying the King.

Sety’s body is excellently preserved. Not only was it well-protected, but the body also itself is a magnificent example of the embalmer’s art. What I mean is, the priests and physicians undertaking Sety’s mummification did a splendid job. Thanks to their work, we can tell a lot about the king’s physical appearance and his health, in the last years of his life.

Sety was approximately 167cm tall (about 5’5”). He’s shrunk a bit, in death, but most forensic studies put him in that height range. Not a massive chap, by modern standards, but a decent height for the time.

Physically, Sety appears to have been quite robust. His shoulders are broad, his arms crossed over his chest. He has an ovoid face with prominent eyebrows, a sloping forehead, and a narrow (but “hooked”) nose. His jaw is wide, his chin strong. The King is bald, no hair survives on his scalp; but it’s unclear if Sety had lost his hair, or whether he shaved it (or maybe the embalmers did that after his death). Either way, he presents a strong and remarkably “life-like” appearance, even today. 

By the time he died, Sety was showing some signs of aging. There was some mild degeneration in his spine, a bit of wear-and-tear on the teeth; and his knees have the early signs of osteoarthritis (lipping).  But that’s about it; the King was in decent health. 

So, what killed him?

That is trickier. Multiple studies (from the late 1800s to the early 21st Century) have examined this body. From the early anatomists poking around, to medical professionals with X-Rays, CT-Scans, and all the accumulated knowledge of forensic medicine, Sety I has undergone a relatively thorough amount of study. In all of that, no examination has ever identified a reliable cause-of-death. There are no obvious wounds or injuries (except for damage done to the body after its burial). There is no clear sign of illness, or something traumatic. And he didn’t suffer any obvious diseases in his teeth or gums. No matter where you look, the King seems fine. For all the world, it looks as though Sety just went to sleep and never woke up…