Key clues to the cause of Tutankhamun’s death may have been overlooked, an Egyptologist has controversially claimed.

While research over the last two decades found that the Egyptian King loved wine and potentially died following a chariot crash, a contentious new theory suggests that joining these pieces of evidence brings us closer to the truth.

Biomedical Egyptologist Sofia Aziz proposes that it was a wine-induced high-speed chariot crash that led to Tutankhamun’s infected open wound. That’s right, a drink-driving accident.

How sceptical should you be? Well, it is true that a major 2010 study concluded the pharaoh likely died from an open wound (combined with a weakened immune response due to malaria). However, the same research also suggested Tutankhamun had a clubbed foot that left him struggling to walk, let alone ride a chariot.

However, Aziz suggests that scientists have been wrong to profile the king as an invalid.

“He was like a typical teenager, drinking and probably driving the chariot too fast,” Aziz told BBC Science Focus during the Cheltenham Science Festival.

Much attention has been given to the variety of foods interred with King Tut, which were embalmed with resin to preserve them. “But people don’t think about the wine,” said Aziz. “In their tombs, the Ancient Egyptians would take the things that they wanted in the afterlife.”

According to Aziz, the majority of the king’s stash was dry white wine, suggesting that he showed a strong preference. He also had six chariots interred with him in his tomb.

“This new theory says that he’s more of a warrior king – that he did ride chariots,” added Aziz, pointing to how Tutankhamun’s tomb contained a breastplate and other armour.

Aziz argues that the fact most present-day road accidents involve teenagers is likely to have been the case back when humans were driving chariots, too. The 19-year-old’s leg would have hit the ‘dashboard’ of the chariot during the crash, causing the fracture described in autopsy reports and an open wound.