CAIRO — Known as Egypt’s «golden child,» the mummified remains of a teenager buried 2,300 years ago have long been shrouded in mystery. They have now been «digitally unwrapped» by scientists, revealing intimate details that went undiscovered for over a century.
Radiologists at Cairo University in Egypt used CT scans to non-invasively unwrap the remains, uncovering signs of wealth and efforts to ensure their safe passage to the afterlife.
According to the authors of A study posted Tuesday about the discoveries, 49 precious amulets adorned the remains, including a golden heart scarab that was used to replace the boy’s heart.
Egyptian embalmers placed amulets to protect and provide vitality to the body in the afterlife, and a gold tongue amulet was placed inside the mouth to ensure the deceased could speak in the afterlife.
Sahar Saleem, a professor of radiology at Cairo University’s medical school and a co-author of the study, told NBC News that the intact remains revealed both the socioeconomic status of the boy, who likely came from a wealthy family, and the significant of amulets in the afterlife, which was a central focus of the complex belief system of the ancient Egyptians.
The body had undergone a «very expensive and meticulous modification process,» said Saleem, who has been digitally unwrapping mummies for years, including pharaonic royalty. “I would say that she came from a very rich family or maybe from a noble family,” he added.
Saleem wrote in the study that «the heart beetle is mentioned in chapter 30 of the Book of the Dead: it was important in the afterlife during the trial of the deceased and the weight of the heart against the feather of the goddess Maat.»
The mummified remains were discovered in 1916 in a cemetery at Nag el-Hassay in southern Egypt that was used between 332 and 30 BC. C., in what is known as the Ptolemaic period. It was stored unexamined in the basement of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo until further study.
The experts were able to determine that the boy was 14 or 15 years old, using the degree of bone fusion and unerupted wisdom teeth. He was 4 feet 2 (128 centimeters) and uncircumcised, and a cause of death could not be determined, according to the study.
The boy’s remains were placed inside two coffins, an outer one with a black Greek inscription and an inner wooden sarcophagus.
In addition to being buried in a golden mask, the teenager was also buried in a pair of sandals.
“The sandals were probably meant to allow the child to climb out of the coffin,” Saleem wrote. «According to the ritual of the Book of the Dead of the ancient Egyptians, the deceased had to wear white sandals to be pious and clean before reciting his verses.»
Joann Fletcher, an Egyptologist and professor at York University who was not involved in the study, told NBC News that it demonstrated the value of «non-invasive, non-destructive forms of analysis.»
“Computed tomography for 3D printing purposes can produce genuine advances in the field of mummy studies: we ourselves are using this same pioneering technology in 2020 to produce the authentic vocal sound of an ancient Egyptian for the little ones. first time,» she said.
Amulets were placed inside the «golden child» and among the wrappings used to mummify the remains, the study published Tuesday found. The scan revealed that they were arranged in three columns.
«It’s good to see scanning techniques of this kind being used to examine how these distinctive charms were placed at specific points on the body where they served a protective purpose,» Fletcher said.
Many of the charms were made of metal, probably gold, and the other charms were made of earthenware, stone or baked clay, the study revealed.
«Too often in the past, they have been removed from their original context on the body and are therefore considered little more than pieces of jewelry, which is to misinterpret their actual purpose as a powerful amulet,» Fletcher added.
The new study comes as UK museums assess whether the term «mummy» is appropriate to describe mummified remains, due to what some say are its «dehumanizing» connotations.
«When we know an individual’s name we use it, otherwise we use the term ‘mummified man, woman, boy, girl or person’ on our labels, because we are referring to people, not objects,» a Museums spokesperson said. Nationals. Scotland said in an email.
«The word ‘mummy’ is not incorrect, but it is dehumanizing, while using the term ‘mummified person’ encourages our visitors to think about the individual.»
Charlene Gubash reported from Cairo and Aina J. Khan from London.