New analysis on the Screaming Mummy, but its death remains a mystery
Egyptian study sheds light on mystery of the woman mummy found in 1935 in a tomb near Luxor
In 1935, an archaeological expedition at Deir Elbahari, near Luxor, discovered an extraordinarily artifact: an Egyptian mummy about 3,500 years old that would shake the academic world and captivate the public. The mummy, nicknamed the "Screaming Mummy," was found in a wooden coffin and had a facial expression that seemed almost like a scream. With a black wig on its head and two scarab rings in silver and gold on its fingers, the woman's face, distorted into a grimace similar to a scream, immediately aroused a sense of unease among the archaeologists. This find caused amazement and led to numerous studies in an attempt to unveil the mystery surrounding this ancient mummy. Today, almost 90 years later, the allure of the "Screaming Woman" has returned to the spotlight thanks to a new research published in Frontiers in Medicine.
The Secret of the Screaming Mummy
The new study, conducted by Professor Sahar Saleem of Kasr Al Ainy Hospital at Cairo University and her colleague Samia El-Merghani, used the most advanced imaging technologies to examine the mummy. Their investigation included computed tomography (CT), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The main goal of the study was to determine the woman's age, identify any diseases, understand the used embalming techniques and evaluate the state of preservation of the find.
The reached conclusion is disturbing: "The screaming facial expression of the mummy could be read as a cadaveric spasm" and this "implies that the woman died screaming in agony or pain," says Sahar Saleem. This suggests that the woman may have died under conditions of great suffering, and her face would have remained fixed in an expression of extreme pain.
The Discovery of the Mummy
The mummy was discovered during an expedition led by the Metropolitan Museum of New York. The tomb from which it came was that of Senmut, architect and presumably lover of Queen Hatshepsut, who lived between 1479 and 1458 BC. Beneath Senmut's burial, archaeologists discovered a separate funerary chamber intended for Senmut's mother and other unidentified family members. It was in this chamber that the coffin of the "Screaming Mummy" was found.
Until 1998, the mummy was preserved at the Kasr Al Ainy School of Medicine in Cairo, which in the 1920s and 30s had studied many royal mummies, including Pharaoh Tutankhamun. At the request of the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities, the 'Screaming Mummy' was subsequently transferred to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, while its coffin and jewelry are displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of New York.
Clinical Anomalies
The analyses conducted revealed several relevant clinical details. The woman was about 1 meter and 54 centimeters tall and died at the age of approximately 50 years. She suffered from arthritis and had undergone dental procedures. Some teeth had been extracted, while others were broken or showed signs of wear. Evidence of bone resorption indicates that the missing teeth had been lost before death. This suggests the use of advanced dentistry, a practice that has its origins in ancient Egypt with Hesy Re, the first known dentist in the world.
The mummy also showed signs of a mild form of spinal arthritis, with the presence of "bone spurs" (osteophytes). Furthermore, FTIR analyses of the skin suggest that the woman had received high-quality embalming, using expensive substances such as juniper and frankincense. These materials, known for their value, were also found in the tomb of Tutankhamun and confirm the trade of embalming substances in ancient Egypt. The expedition led by Queen Hatshepsut had brought frankincense from Punt, probably present-day Somalia.
The Wig and Hair Treatment
The woman's wig, made from date palm fibers, was treated with quartz crystals, magnetite, and albite to stiffen the strands and give them a black color. This color was highly symbolic for the ancient Egyptians, representing youth and vitality. The woman's natural hair had also been treated with valuable materials such as henna and juniper, indicating special attention to her preparation for eternity.
Modern analyses have helped correct some misconceptions about the mummification of the "Screaming Woman." In the past, it was thought that the failure to remove the internal organs was the result of poor mummification and that the woman's mouth remained open due to rigor mortis, fixing an expression similar to that of screaming. However, current research shows that the embalming had been performed with great care, and the conditions of the body do not indicate a technical error.
Despite detailed analyses, no obvious cause of death was found on the body, and the mystery surrounding the "Screaming Mummy" remains largely unresolved.
Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2024.1406225/full
