A very short piece from the Question and Answer section on the Arizona Daily Times web page, about the value of DNA testing mummies:
"Question: The Carlos Museum at Emory University in Atlanta had possession of a number of Egyptian mummies, including Ramses I, for a number of years. Were any DNA tests ever conducted on any of the mummies?
Answer: When the Carlos Museum had the Ramses mummy, Emory research-ers tried to develop a means of testing and comparing ancient DNA samples.
The y-chromosome DNA research necessary to determine a connection between Ramses I and his descendants in the Cairo Museum was in its infancy, even for use on the living. The Ramses mummy was never sampled for DNA testing by Emory researchers. His remains were identified by more traditional methods, including X-rays and CT scans.
Egyptologist Dr. Peter Lacovara at the Carlos Museum says that even in the years since Ramses I was returned to Egypt, researchers have had very little success in extracting DNA from mummies."
Answer: When the Carlos Museum had the Ramses mummy, Emory research-ers tried to develop a means of testing and comparing ancient DNA samples.
The y-chromosome DNA research necessary to determine a connection between Ramses I and his descendants in the Cairo Museum was in its infancy, even for use on the living. The Ramses mummy was never sampled for DNA testing by Emory researchers. His remains were identified by more traditional methods, including X-rays and CT scans.
Egyptologist Dr. Peter Lacovara at the Carlos Museum says that even in the years since Ramses I was returned to Egypt, researchers have had very little success in extracting DNA from mummies."
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