The mummified body of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh was first studied after being digitally “discovered”.
It has been 140 years since the mummy of Amenhotep I, the pharaoh between 1525 and 1504 BC, was found at Deir el-Bahari, and for 140 years archaeologists have not tried to preserve it. Now computed tomography has provided new information about the death and funeral of the pharaoh.
Speaking to the BBC, Sahar Salim, professor of radiology at the Cairo University School of Medicine and lead author of the study published in Frontiers in Medicine, said the first thing that struck her was Amenhotep’s facial features. resembled those of their father Ahmose I, the first pharaoh of the 18th dynasty of Ancient Egypt. Technology discovered a mummy with narrow chin, small nose, curly hair and slightly protruding upper teeth.
According to experts, the growth of Amenhotep I was about 1.69 meters, and he was about 35 years old when he died. Tests showed that he was in good physical condition, with no signs of injury or disfigurement from the disease, suggesting that he died from infection or the virus.
The analysis also showed that Amenhotep I was the first pharaoh to be buried with his forearms crossed over his chest, and that, in exceptional cases, his brain was not removed.
Wounded by thieves and repaired by priests
The mummy suffered several post-mortem injuries, probably from grave robbers, but was allegedly “repaired” by 21st Dynasty priests some four centuries after her death.
The priests secured the head and neck that had been separated from the body with a linen tape soaked in resin, covered the defect in the abdominal wall with a bandage, and placed two amulets under the body. In addition, they wrapped their arms around their left arm, which also separated from the body.
According to Salim, the 30 amulets and the “unique” gold belt with gold beads worn by Amenhotep I disproved theories that the priests might have taken his jewelry for use by later pharaohs.
The mummy of Amenhotep I was reburied by priests at Deir el-Bahari, in a complex of tombs and temples near Luxor, in order to preserve it.
