A TikToker’s emotional reaction to King Tutankhamun’s remains sparked intense debate about how we treat the dead. In a widely viewed video, Syd (@squxid) broke down after watching a tour of the boy pharaoh’s tomb, where his body lies exposed behind glass.
Syd explained that the bright museum lights and endless crowds felt deeply disrespectful. Although King Tut died more than 3,000 years ago, Syd emphasized that ancient Egyptians saw the body as sacred. "Tut was just a kid," they said, noting he was around 18 or 19 when he died. For Syd, the idea of tourists photographing his corpse daily was heartbreaking.
The TikToker said King Tut deserved peace instead of life under constant public display. Their video has been viewed over 1.4 million times with over 193.2K likes.
Reactions to Syd’s emotional video
Viewers quickly split into camps. Some agreed with Syd, while others insisted the pharaoh’s display carried no spiritual harm. One commenter argued that the body no longer mattered, saying, "King Tut's spirit hasn't been near his body in thousands of years. [...] that body is not him anymore and carries no significance."
Nevertheless, others described similar discomfort. One TikToker recalled visiting Ireland and seeing preserved bog bodies. "It felt so…unnerving and unnatural to be looking at these bodies within feet of me, just there. Forever. They were people, they ARE people, and they deserve rest."
This person agreed that research was valuable but argued bodies should not remain on display in museums forever.
However, not everyone sympathized with Syd’s sorrow. Some pointed out that Tutankhamun lived as a ruler in a society built on forced labor. "He was a pharaoh, a ruler of the people. Don’t think that the regular everyday people got anything close to the treatment Tut and other pharaohs received. He doesn’t deserve your sympathy."
Another commenter brought up an even more disturbing display: the stillborn children of Tut’s wife, also exhibited in the tomb. For them, this revelation made the situation even more unsettling.
At the same time, others defended the continued exhibition, linking it to ancient beliefs in eternal life. One response suggested the Egyptians effectively received what they asked for: ongoing remembrance thousands of years later.
Some commenters rejected both sides, instead questioning the ethics of archaeology itself. "I think it’s beyond wrong to dig up anyone’s grave," one person said, noting that excavations of pyramids and tombs continue even today.
In a follow-up video, Syd shared more of their thoughts on the display of anyone's body, not just King Tut's, in a museum.
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