Mummy-to-be: Pregnant embalmed body identified in Poland | ABS-CBN
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Mummy-to-be: Pregnant embalmed body identified in Poland
Mummy-to-be: Pregnant embalmed body identified in Poland
Agence France-Presse
Published Apr 30, 2021 05:41 AM PHT
Polish scientists said Thursday they have discovered the world's first pregnant Egyptian mummy, while carrying out scans on the 2,000-year-old remains kept at the National Museum in Warsaw.
Polish scientists said Thursday they have discovered the world's first pregnant Egyptian mummy, while carrying out scans on the 2,000-year-old remains kept at the National Museum in Warsaw.
"My husband Stanislaw, an Egyptian archaeologist, and I looked at the X-ray images and noticed a familiar sight for parents of three children in the belly of the dead woman -- a little foot!" Marzena Ozarek-Szilke, an anthropologist and archaeologist at the University of Warsaw, told journalists.
"My husband Stanislaw, an Egyptian archaeologist, and I looked at the X-ray images and noticed a familiar sight for parents of three children in the belly of the dead woman -- a little foot!" Marzena Ozarek-Szilke, an anthropologist and archaeologist at the University of Warsaw, told journalists.
Further analysis revealed the whole fetus and scientists working on the Warsaw Mummy Project believe the woman was between 20 and 30 years old and was 26-30 weeks pregnant.
Further analysis revealed the whole fetus and scientists working on the Warsaw Mummy Project believe the woman was between 20 and 30 years old and was 26-30 weeks pregnant.
Jeszcze w XIX wieku #UW otrzymało nietypowe dary. Starożytne mumie. O badaniu ich bez odwijania z bandaży pisaliśmy już w 2015 roku. Teraz artykuł na ten temat został opublikowany w „The Journal of Archaeological Science".
📖 https://t.co/n4TY127OK6 https://t.co/w7t3EeTojt
— Uniwersytet Warszawski (@UniWarszawski) April 29, 2021
Jeszcze w XIX wieku #UW otrzymało nietypowe dary. Starożytne mumie. O badaniu ich bez odwijania z bandaży pisaliśmy już w 2015 roku. Teraz artykuł na ten temat został opublikowany w „The Journal of Archaeological Science".
— Uniwersytet Warszawski (@UniWarszawski) April 29, 2021
📖 https://t.co/n4TY127OK6 https://t.co/w7t3EeTojt
"We do not know why the fetus was not taken out of the belly of the deceased during mummification," said Wojciech Ejsmond from the Polish Academy of Sciences, another project participant.
"We do not know why the fetus was not taken out of the belly of the deceased during mummification," said Wojciech Ejsmond from the Polish Academy of Sciences, another project participant.
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"That is why this mummy is truly unique. We have not been able to find any similar cases. This means that 'our' mummy is the only recognized in the world with a fetus," he said.
"That is why this mummy is truly unique. We have not been able to find any similar cases. This means that 'our' mummy is the only recognized in the world with a fetus," he said.
Ozarek-Szilke speculated that there may have been an effort to "camouflage the pregnancy... or, perhaps, it had some significance related to beliefs and re-birth in the afterlife".
Ozarek-Szilke speculated that there may have been an effort to "camouflage the pregnancy... or, perhaps, it had some significance related to beliefs and re-birth in the afterlife".
Based on an analysis of the hieroglyphs on the sarcophagus, the mummy was originally thought to be of a male priest who lived between the first century BC and the first century AD.
Based on an analysis of the hieroglyphs on the sarcophagus, the mummy was originally thought to be of a male priest who lived between the first century BC and the first century AD.
Scientists now believe it could be even older than that and are looking into the possible causes of death.
Scientists now believe it could be even older than that and are looking into the possible causes of death.
The mummy has not been opened but one scan showed the woman had long curly hair down to her shoulders.
The mummy has not been opened but one scan showed the woman had long curly hair down to her shoulders.
The research has been published in the latest issue of peer-reviewed Journal of Archaeological Science.
The research has been published in the latest issue of peer-reviewed Journal of Archaeological Science.
"This is the first known case of a pregnant embalmed body... It opens up new possibilities of researching pregnancy in ancient times and practices related to maternity," the article said.
"This is the first known case of a pregnant embalmed body... It opens up new possibilities of researching pregnancy in ancient times and practices related to maternity," the article said.
The scans were carried out by Affidea, a medical analysis company, using equipment provided by GE, both project backers.
The scans were carried out by Affidea, a medical analysis company, using equipment provided by GE, both project backers.
The mummy was brought to Poland in the 19th century and became part of the antiquities collection at the University of Warsaw.
The mummy was brought to Poland in the 19th century and became part of the antiquities collection at the University of Warsaw.
It has been kept at the National Museum since 1917, where it is on show to the public alongside the sarcophagus.
It has been kept at the National Museum since 1917, where it is on show to the public alongside the sarcophagus.
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