Friday, June 08, 2007

Berkshire Museum mummy undergoes a CT scan

http://www.berkshireeagle.com/ci_6063034?source=most_emailed
A follow up on the story of the Berkshire (U.S.) mummy that was being prepared for a CT scan a few weeks ago. The mummy has now been scanned as part of the Akhmim Mummy Studies Consortium (AMSC) research project, under the leadership of Dr. Jonathan Elias, an Egyptologist and physical anthropologist:
"The findings include:
- A resin material fills about 25 percent of Pahat's brain cavity. Elias said the resin likely has a juniper or cedar oil base, a natural insecticide used to keep the body bug-free. Resins also were found in other parts of the body, aiding in making it moisture-resistant.
- The ocular bulbs (eyeballs) and some ocular tissue are still intact, as is the heart.
- The mummy's arms were crossed right over left, which may be an indicator of Pahat's social status.
The Egyptologist also noted that there appear to be some'oddly shaped visceral packages' in the mummy's organ cavities, including the left abdomen."
See the above page for the full story. The page is accompanied by slide shows which show excellent detailed images of the mummy's scanned form.

For more about the Akhmim Mummy Studies Consortium see their website at:
http://amscresearch.com/

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