A identified Egyptian priest mummy, from over 3,000 years in the past, has just lately been transferred from Italy’s well-known Museum of Civil Archeology in Bergamo to the Policlinico of Milan hospital to conduct a mummy CT scan. Researchers at Milan’s prestigious Mummy Challenge are hoping to study extra concerning the historical priest’s life, well being, and mummification, in keeping with a Reuters information report.

Italian archaeologist Sabina Malgora, director of the Mummy Challenge, standing in entrance of one of many many mummies her workforce has examined. (Mummy Project)

The Egyptian Mummy Priest and Italy’s Mummy Challenge

A part of ongoing analysis carried out by Italy’s prestigious long-term Mummy Project, the CT scans (and different associated initiatives) are being carried out by a workforce of consultants working in Milan. Their chief objective is to “facilitate the examine of historical natural stays and particularly human and plant mummies” utilizing superior methods of medical and forensic investigation. “The mummies are virtually a organic museum, they’re like a time capsule,” mentioned archaeologist Sabina Malgora, who’s the director of the Mummy Challenge.

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The Mummy Challenge’s mission assertion emphasizes that the analysis on historical mummies on no account disturbs, injures, or modifications the physique being examined in any manner. Over the earlier decade, their landmark analysis and methodology has helped set up an unlimited and wealthy community of sources, offered within the type of occasions and cultural shows throughout museums, foundations, and libraries throughout Europe.

Right here the Egyptian priest mummy is about to “enter” the CT scan machine in Milano, Italy. (video clip picture / Reuters)

Priest Ankhenkhonsu’s Mummy: Medical Historical past and Illness

The Egyptian priest’s title, Ankh Khonsu or Ankhekhonsu, which interprets as “the god Khonsu who’s alive,” was written on the sarcophagus in 5 totally different locations!

The analysis workforce is assured that their high-tech analysis will assist them to raised perceive the supplies and total course of used to mummify the physique. Egyptian mummification processes are nonetheless an “open” age-old query that has generated loads of debate, dialogue, and analysis within the subject of historical past and archaeology.

Trendy mummy analyses, together with these for bones, tooth, hair and preserved tender tissue, have supplied a wealth of data on the well being of the deceased, and different vital data just like the meals they ate.

Furthermore, a significantly detailed medical historical past for each illnesses and accidents might be ascertained with high-tech scans. Ms. Malgora acknowledged, “Learning historical illnesses and accidents is vital for fashionable medical analysis. We are able to examine most cancers and atherosclerosis up to now and that could possibly be helpful for contemporary analysis.”

This isn’t the primary occasion of recent expertise assembly the traditional world. In 2008, a CT scan carried out on one other mummy (a feminine) revealed a brain-removal software utilized by historical Egyptian embalmers, which was lodged in her cranium relationship again to round 2,400 years in the past, as per a report on Yahoo News!

Priest Ankhenkhonsu’s mummy, because it was within the sarcophagus when first found, about to enter the CT-scan machine. (video clip picture / Reuters)

The Mummies of Historical Egypt

Mummies, together with the pyramids, are the preferred modern-day references to Egypt’s nice historical river civilization, which thrived alongside the Nile River Nile for millennia (and nonetheless does as we speak!). The phrase mummy is derived from the Persian or Arabic phrase mumia (or mumiya), which implies “pitch” or “bitumen,” which initially referred to a black, asphalt-like substance thought to have medicinal properties. It was eagerly sought as a remedy for a lot of illnesses. Since Egyptian mummies are black look, the phrase grew to become related to them.

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The science of mummification was exceptional for its time on condition that dehydration of the tissues was used to stop putrefaction. In historical Egypt, mummification grew to become an integral a part of demise rituals as early as 2800 BC. Preservation of elite our bodies was seen as vital for dwelling effectively within the afterlife. 

For that reason, the inner organs had been eliminated first. After which the physique was doused with wine and spices. Apparently, the guts was left inside because it was seen as very important within the afterlife. This was as a result of the Egyptians felt the seat of feeling and thought was the guts.

After dehydrating the physique, it was wrapped in a number of layers of linen and typically amulets had been added to guard the departed soul from evil.

Over time, the wealthier courses started to undertake mummification and, finally, a hierarchy of entombing and embalming the elite useless developed.

In the present day, we’ve got a protracted checklist of celebrated mummies who’re overwhelmingly pharaohs, like Tutankhamen, or members of the royal household.

Prime picture: Researchers on the Mummy Challenge of Milan, Italy round an Egyptian mummy about to enter a CT scan. Earlier this 12 months, Mummy Challenge researchers started their examination of a well-known priest mummy, hoping to study extra about his life, well being, and mummification.            Supply: Mummy Project

By Sahir Pandey