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The world's most famous mummy, Tutankhamun, was buried with his penis standing at a 90 degree angle, it has been claimed.

An expert in Egyptology believes the everlasting erection was made to make King Tut look like Osiris, the god of the afterlife.

Why? You ask.

According to Egyptologist Salima Ikram, professor at the American University in Cairo, it was to counter efforts by his father King Akjenaten to establish a religion of one god.

(Image: Getty) (Image: Getty)

khenaten wanted to focus on the worship of Aten, the sun disc, and destroyed images of other gods.

King Tut had, however, worked to reverse his father's ideology and return Egypt to the traditional worship of many gods.

Professor Ikram believes he was buried with his erect manhood in a bit to continue his endeavour even in death.

She believes the upright penis broke off after the discovery of the tomb, despite speculation that it was stolen.

Professor Ikram told LiveScience: "As far as I know, no other mummy has been found thus far with an erect penis."

Another mysterious anomaly is the absence of the pharaoh's heart and lack of a heart scarab to serve as a replacement.

Prof Ikram added that the reason Tutankhamun's heart was missing could also be an allusion to Osiris, whose body was said to have been cut apart by his brother Seth.

Enigma and rumour has surrounded the demise of the so-called boy king since his death back in 1323BC, when he was aged just 19.

Its over 90 years since archaeologist Howard Carter lifted the sarcophagus in a remote Egyptian burial chamber and revealed the mummy of Tutankhamun.

(Image: Getty) (Image: Getty)

The discovery of the tomb itself in 1922 caused a sensation and the 3,300 year old mummified remains fascinated an intrigued nation.

Since the mummy was opened there have been murders, a poisoning, a suicide, death animals and even a killer mosquito which saw off the owner of Downton Abbey.

But Skeptics have pointed out that many others who visited the tomb or helped to discover it lived long and healthy lives and that of the 58 people who were present when the tomb and sarcophagus were opened, only eight died.