Choose one of the topics below that explore an ancient mystery and develop an essay which adequately addresses the topic you have chosen.

Click the linked activity title to access Assignment 1: Ancient Mysteries.
Choose one of the topics below that explore an ancient mystery and develop an essay which adequately addresses the topic you have chosen.
King Tutankhamen
Tutankhamen died young, at approximately 18 years of age. However, his cause of death has been the subject of quite varied scholarly theories and conclusions. Did he die of an injury, of illness, of murder, or something else?
The Death of Tutankhamun: Accident, Disease, or Murder?
Who Built the Pyramids?
There have been many theories regarding how the pyramids at Giza were constructed. Most experts agree that they were constructed as monuments for pharaohs, but how these ancient people constructed monuments of such great size without modern machinery is a mystery being debated to this day.
Did the Hebrews Build the Pyramids?
Assignment Instructions
Use the course textbook and provided sources related to the theories of how/why the topic remains an ancient mystery. Write a 3–4 paragraph essay (of at least 250–500 words) on the selected topic that includes the following (note each numbered topic in the list gets its own paragraph):
Introduction:
Identify and describe the ancient mystery you selected. Provide a brief history.
Summarize two theories:
Provide a brief summary of at least two reasonable and scholarly theories from your textbook or the linked articles which could explain the mystery. Because some theories may sound far-fetched, include the source or promoter of each theory—such as a scientist, a historian, a theologian, and so on.
Select one theory:
Choose one of the theories about the ancient mystery you selected that you agree with.
Explain what it is that you agree with and why. Why is the theory you selected the best one to explain the mystery?
Conclusion:
Reflect on what you learned and why it’s important to our understanding of ancient history and culture. Why is it considered a mystery? Why does it hold such fascination centuries after its discovery?
Your assignment must follow these requirements:
This course requires use of Strayer Writing Standards (SWS) [PDF]. Please take a moment to review the SWS documentation for details.
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:
Describe a theory that provides a plausible explanation for an ancient mystery.