For the first time ever, scientists have unwrapped a 3,000-year-old mummy without removing even one piece of linen from the ancient Egyptian pharaoh.
Researchers used an advanced X-ray technique known as three-dimensional computed tomography (CT) scanning to "digitally unwrap" and look inside the mummy of Amenhotep I, who ruled Egypt from 1525 to 1504 BC, in a safe, non-invasive method without touching the mummy.
The findings were published Tuesday in the journal Frontiers in Medicine.
The mummy was found fully wrapped in 1881 and is one of few royal mummies that has not been unwrapped in modern times, according to the study.
"This fact that Amenhotep I's mummy had never been unwrapped in modern times gave us a unique opportunity: not just to study how he had originally been mummified and buried, but also how he had been treated and reburied twice, centuries after his death, by High Priests of Amun," co-author Sahar Saleem said in a statement. "By digitally unwrapping of the mummy and 'peeling off' its virtual layers — the facemask, the bandages, and the mummy itself — we could study this well-preserved pharaoh in unprecedented detail."
Researchers examined the mummy with CT and generated two- and three-dimensional images of his body. In addition to seeing the ancient king's face for the first time, researchers also learned clues as to his age, height and state of health.
The scans show that Amenhotep was roughly 35 years old when he died. Previous research from the 1930s estimated he was between 40 and 50, while another study in 1967 estimated he was around 25.
"He was approximately 169 cm [5-and-a-half feet] tall, circumcised, and had good teeth," Saleem said. "Amenhotep I seems to have physically resembled his father: he had a narrow chin, a small narrow nose, curly hair, and mildly protruding upper teeth."
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Unfortunately, the scan didn't shed any light as to how the ancient king died.
"We couldn't find any wounds or disfigurement due to disease to justify the cause of death, except numerous mutilations post mortem, presumably by grave robbers after his first burial," Saleem said. "The priests of the 21st dynasty lovingly repaired the injuries inflicted by the tomb robbers, restored his mummy to its former glory, and preserved the magnificent jewelry and amulets in place."
The scans revealed that Amenhotep was buried with 30 amulets and jewelry pieces, including a unique golden girdle with gold beads.
The practice of unwrapping and dissecting mummies was often carried out in the past. However, these procedures are being condemned as they damage the ancient bodies and have been replaced by non-invasive imaging techniques, such as CT scanning.
"We show that CT imaging can be profitably used in anthropological and archeological studies on mummies, including those from other civilizations, for example Peru," Salem said.
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