The ancient Egyptians developed sophisticated embalming treatments far before together with across a wider geographical expanse than had been previously known, forensic tests on a well-known prehistoric mummy get got revealed.
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| Turin Mummy S. 293 (RCGE 16550). Image: Egyptian Museum, Turin [Credit: Museu Egizio] |
Dating from c.3700-3500 BC, the mummy has been housed inwards the Egyptian Museum inwards Turin since 1901, only different the bulk of other prehistoric mummies inwards museums, it has never undergone whatever conservation treatments, providing a unique chance for accurate scientific analysis.
Like its famous counterpart Gebelein Man Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 inwards the British Museum, the Turin mummy was previously assumed to get got been naturally mummified yesteryear the desiccating activity of the hot, dry out desert sand.
Plant oil
Using chemic analysis, the scientific squad led yesteryear the Universities of York together with Macquarie uncovered show that the mummy had inwards fact undergone an embalming process, amongst a constitute oil, heated conifer resin, an aromatic constitute extract together with a constitute gum/sugar mixed together together with used to impregnate the funerary textiles inwards which the trunk was wrapped.
This ‘recipe’ contained antibacterial agents, used inwards similar proportions to those employed yesteryear the Egyptian embalmers when their science was at its peak some 2,500 years later.
The report builds on the previous enquiry from 2014 which showtime identified the presence of complex embalming agents inwards surviving fragments of linen wrappings from prehistoric bodies inwards forthwith obliterated tombs at Mostagedda inwards Middle Egypt.
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| The nigh convincing depiction of the ‘toffee-like’ (presumed) ‘resin’ was effected inwards the lite microscope using hard disk illumination [Credit: Jana Jones et al. Journal of Archaeological Science, 2018] |
The team, which includes researchers from the Universities of York, Macquarie, Oxford, Warwick, Trento together with Turin, highlight the fact that the mummy came from Upper (southern) Egypt, which offers the showtime indication that the embalming recipe was beingness used over a wider geographical expanse at a fourth dimension when the concept of a pan-Egyptian identity was supposedly withal developing.
Archaeological pharmacist together with mummification expert, Dr Stephen Buckley, from the University of York’s BioArCh facility, said: “Having identified really similar embalming recipes inwards our previous enquiry on prehistoric burials, this latest report provides both the showtime show for the wider geographical purpose of these balms together with the showtime e'er unequivocal scientific show for the purpose of embalming on an intact, prehistoric Egyptian mummy.
“Moreover, this preservative handling contained antibacterial constituents inwards the same proportions every bit those used inwards later on ‘true’ mummification. As such, our findings correspond the literal embodiment of the forerunners of classic mummification, which would teach 1 of the key together with iconic pillars of ancient Egyptian culture.”
Genetic investigation
Dr Jana Jones, Egyptologist together with proficient on ancient Egyptian burial practices from Macquarie University, said: “The exam of the Turin trunk makes a momentous contribution to our express noesis of the prehistoric current together with the expansion of early on mummification practices every bit good every bit providing vital, novel information on this item mummy.
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| The mummy has been housed inwards the Egyptian Museum inwards Turin since 1901 [Credit: Dr Stephen Buckley, University of York] |
Professor Tom Higham, Deputy Director Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit, said: “There are really few mummies of this ‘natural’ type available for analysis. Our radiocarbon dating shows it dates to the early on Naqada stage of Egyptian prehistory, substantially before than the classic Pharaonic period, together with this early on age offers us an unparalleled glimpse into funerary handling before the ascent of the state.
“The results modify significantly our agreement of the evolution of mummification together with the purpose of embalming agents together with demonstrate the ability of interdisciplinary scientific discipline inwards agreement the past.”
The report is published inwards the Journal of Archaeological Science.
Source: University of York [August 15, 2018]
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