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Three Pharaonic mummies, preserved for thousand of years, had fiberoptic endoscopy carried out of the cranial, thoracic and abdominal cavities. The aim of the study was to gather medical data and ascertain the extent of damage of these mummies before undertaking restoration procedues. The endoscopic examinations revealed some valuable data concerning certain points of historical interest.
The ultrastructure of bacterial spores found in the skin of an Egyptian mummy was studied. The mummy was embalmed during year 100 to 300 of our era. The bacterial spores showed a characteristic appearance with a core, cortex, coat and exosporium. Their survival and species could not be established.
Bone samples of a ptolemeic mummy have been employed to study the mode of conservation on the intactness of Zn2Mg alkaline phosphatase in both structure and catalytic activity. A protein of M(r) = 190 +/- 10 kDa being identical to the 200 kDa enzyme of fresh human bones was successfully isolated. Regardless of age 200 kDa protein bands and a distinct subunit at 60 kDa were seen in SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. The 200 kDa band was also monitored by activity staining. The specific activity was 120 mU/mg and 65% of the respective activity obtained in the identical preparation using fresh human tibia or rib. The enzymic activity was inhibited in the presence of 1,10-phenanthroline and L-homoarginine. Radiocarbon dating supported the assignment of the mummy to the early ptolemeic period. Among the many bactericidal and fungicidal components employed for mummification were aromatic alcohols, mono- and sesquiterpenes. Pistachio resin was the major balm resin used. The microbiological sterility of the bone surface was ascertained by independent bacterial and fungal examinations.
In this study, we describe an infant mummy from ancient Egypt that showed macromorphologic signs of chronic anemia and vitamin C deficiency. From this infant, we have obtained a sterile sample from a metatarsal bone to extract ancient bacterial DNA. Following polymerase chain reaction amplification and subcloning of the amplicons, the sequence of the 16S ribosomal DNA was determined in several resulting clones. The presence of pathogenic and apathogenic bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, are indicated by our result, providing evidence of bacteremia, which probably contributed to death due to septicemia. These findings suggest that the infant, who already had chronic anemia and vitamin C deficiency, acquired a gastrointestinal infection, which finally led to a systemic spread. To our knowledge, this is the first case identifying potentially septicemic bacterial dissemination in an ancient Egyptian mummy. Using our approach, we hope to investigate distinct paleomicrobiological aspects of ancient populations, which will potentially enlighten our understanding of the development and evolution of pathogenic bacteria.
An ancient Egyptian mummy from the collections of the National Museums of Scotland was examined using computerised tomography (CT) scanning as part of the NMS mummy project. A facial reconstruction was produced from the CT scans for comparison with a painted 'portrait' which covers the face of the wrappings. The scans indicated the mummified wrapped body of an adult male 1.65 m tall with excellent preservation of the body. An exact replica, translucent model of the skull was created from the CT scans and standard cephalometric analysis undertaken. The facial features were reconstructed onto a plaster model of the skull from known tissue depths using terracotta clay. The resultant face was compared with the portrait and an extremely close match obtained, suggesting this was an individual portrait painted around the time of death.
The unique conditions of preservation of the Copper age mummy found in the Val Senales glacier permit to analyze the general state of health of a man of the late European prehistory. Investigations conducted within the organizational framework of an International Research Project revealed the presence of a series of alterations, that, in a broad sense, can be considered of paleopathological interest. These can be classified as: 1) post mortem lesions, including scalp erosion, alopecia, soft tissue loss in the right gluteal region, right coxo-femoral disarticulation, right sacro-iliac dislocation; 2) lesions that occurred intra vitam, including tattooings, dental wear, trichorrexis nodosa, nail hypoplasia, moderate osteoarthrosis of the lumbar vertebral column and of the coxo-femoral joints, tibio-tarsal osteosclerosis. The palaeopathological analysis of this unique mummy shed vivid light on the mutual interactions between disease, environment, and culture, that shaped human life in a distant past.
During several excavations of archeological sites in the Moquegua Valley, Southern Peru, various guinea pig mummies (Cavia aperea f. porcellus) have been discovered. They belong to the Chiribaya Culture (900-1100 AD). The outstanding preservation of the mummified animals gave rise to the idea of a paleoparasitological analysis. In the fur, numerous well preserved ectoparasites (lice, fleas, mites) could be recovered. Generally, ectoparasite remains are rarely found among archeological material. This is the first account of an extensive ectoparasitological analysis of animal mummies in Peru. A modified technique for recovery and preservation of the ectoparasites has been developed.
Myrrh and mummy were separately introduced into Japan and were individually called MIIRA in Japanese for a certain period of time, during which some confusion ensued. Later, it was settled to call them MOTSUYAKU for myrrh and MIIRA for mummy. The etymology of related terms is discussed. Camomile (English) or Kamille (Dutch) was brought to Japan and named KAMITSURE with the "ts" sound inserted. This insertion was the outcome of a popular misunderstanding of the phonetic transcription of the Dutch word. The etymology of related terms is also discussed.
The microbiological study of mummies has started in 1910 when Sir M.A. Ruffer first applied the histologic methods to the study of mummified tissues and found Schistosoma haematobium ovas dated from the XXth dynasty. Up to the 1990 years, morphological methods including radiology, computed tomography, endoscopy, history, electron microscopy, and serology have been the main tools used in Paleopathology. They led to identify schistosomiasis, dracunculiasis, trichinosis, ascariasis and bone tuberculosis as the most prevalent diseases of the ancient residents of Egypt. The recent introduction of molecular methods (PCR) allowed t confirm the high prevalence of helminth diseases and tuberculosis among these populations, but also added new data exemplified by the widespread distribution of Plasmodium falciparum malaria. In addition, cases of bacterial septicemias and diphteria possibily occurred. Thousands of human and animal mummies remain to be studied with the hope to discover another pathogens responsible for viral or zoonotic infections prevalent during the pharaons' times.
The mummy studied belonged to the prehispanic Guane society. According to the Mom 003 record of the Archaeological Museum of the House of the Marqués de San Jorge, it was found in a cave in the department of Santander, Colombia, and was donated to the Culture Promotion Fund of the Banco Popular more than 30 years ago. The gender of the mummy had been previously determined by PCR study of the Y chromosome; computerized tomography studies (CT) were carried out and samples of lung tissue, vertebral spine and skin were taken for studying tuberculosis. The CT scans clearly show the presence of spinal tuberculosis, accounting for its important angular cifosis or Pott's disease. DNA obtained from lung tissue was submitted to ribotyping with genes of the 16S ribosomal subunit, giving positive results. This finding demonstrates the presence of tuberculosis in prehispanic Colombia.
Discovered in 1908 in a lead coffin conserved in a stone sarcophagus, the mummy of the "fin Renard" (Bourges, France), was immediately identified as that of a gallo-roman child. The circumstances of his death as the extraordinary conservation of this body were the object of many conclusions related to contemporeanous medico-historical knowledge and limited by partial investigation potentiality. The application of the most actual paleopathological methods and techniques permitted a more precise observation of this unique but surprising French specimen. However, after many radiographic, scannographic, fibroscopic and microscopic studies, the little mummy conserves many of its mysteries...
Mummies have always exerted a strong suggestion on mentality through centuries. They have been considered magical objects, possessing mysterious powers and able to protect from dangers. Pieces or mummy were employed as amulets to preserve life. In the modern age physicians and apothecaries began to use it for therapeutical treatments. This article concerns the therapeutic employ and the different compositions and uses of mummial remedies from early modern age to XVIII century.
Chewing of coca leaves was an integral part of many Andean pre-Columbian populations. Since the cocaine metabolite benzoylecognine is entrapped in hair of the user, this could serve as a convenient specimen for analysis. We tested the scalp hair of 8 Chilean mummies with dates ranging from 2,000 BC to 1,500 AD. This article reports that benzoylecognine is very stable and can be found in mummy hair.
Results are presented on virological examination conducted on WHO request of a Naples infant mummy with smallpox-like lesions. Electron microscopy of lesions confirmed the findings of Italian researchers: well-preserved virus-like structures, whose size and morphology were identical to those of orthopoxviruses have been revealed. It was shown that the virus in mummy skin had lost its viability. Viral antigenic activity could not be detected in EIA or RPHA, nor was determined its DNA in the test of DNA molecular hybridization.
This first report of the application of computed tomography (CT) to the study of ancient mummies, the desiccated brain of a boy and the body of a young woman within her cartonnage, shows that CT is uniquely suitable for the study of such antiquities, a study that does not necessitate destruction of the mummy or its cartonnage. Exquisite images result that are of great paleoanatomical, paleopathological, and archeological significance.
This paper describes immunofluorescence studies on the possible preservation of antigenic determinants of different types of collagen in sections of the skin of human mummies from Peru. The age of the mummies was dated from the 4th to the 14th century AD. Using specific antibodies, it was possible to demonstrate type I and type III collagen. The antigenic determinants specific for procollagen type I, procollagen type III and the type IV collagen component of basement membranes were not preserved.
Bone samples from autopsies, recent and subfossile samples as well as skin and muscle material from non-preserved local mummies were investigated. The material was evaluated morphologically and serologically in parallel by means of the well-known absorption-test, the agglutinin-cohesion technique with deionized concentrated EDTA extracts according to Borgognini, the absorption-elution technique according to Kind with the modification proposed by Kirst & Landes, and the immunofluorescence-histology according to Lengyel. With the latter method no specific results could be obtained at all; with the absorption and the absorption-elution tests the blood-group status of autoptic compacta material could always be estimated correctly, and also with recent bone samples an acceptable phenotype distribution was found. On the contrary, with the old-historic material consisting of 39 skeletons a reverse proportionality between the morphological preservation state and the serological results was found: the more advanced the decay of the organic matrix, the more frequent was the finding of blood-group A or B; the better preserved the bony substance, the more frequent negative (= 0 ?) results were obtained. By analogy with the findings in mummy tissue, where the tracing of A and B bloodgroup substances also prevailed in cases of extensive saprophyte contamination, the postmortal infiltration of microbiological blood-group active foreign material is discussed as a possible cause of erroneous diagnoses for bones, too. The compared methods yielded different results on the same bone in some cases, and also with the, according to our experiences, most suitable absorption-elution method contradictory blood-group findings were achieved with different bones of the same skeleton occasionally. In light of these results it seems possible to detect blood-group substances of the ABO system in bone material only under protective storage conditions, as tomb funeral, ossuaries, or reliquaries after centuries and with acceptable error quote; serological findings on subfossile materials must be valued with greatest reservation, and critical restraint should be recommended especially against the method of approach.
A multidisciplinary team examined an Aleutian mummy from the collection of the Peabody Museum of Archeology and Ethnology of Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. The mummy, dating from the early 18th century, was of a middle-aged woman who had suffered from pulmonary and ear infections, atherosclerosis, pediculosis, and degenerative joint disease. Another finding was anthracosis, common in ancient bodies and related to indoor heating and cooking fires. Skeletal lead was not found, in contrast with the high levels seen in modern persons. No neoplasms were identified, again consistent with the results of previous studies of ancient human remains. Such comparisons of ancient and modern morbidity and mortality provide a historical perspective on the evolution and cause of human disease.