Thursday, December 06, 2007

Mysteries of ancient Egypt revealed

CCTV

2 page article (short pages), mainly about trying to identify the mummy of Hatshepsut. There's also a video (which crashed both my browsers, but you may be luckier). Pages 4, 5 and 6 show photographs of the mummy.

Scientists and archaeologists are using the latest technology to uncover secrets of the golden age of the pharaohs.

CT scans and DNA testing are helping to solve the mysteries of ancient Egypt.

Earlier this year, archaeologists and genetic scientists identified the mummy of Egypt's most powerful female pharaoh, Queen Hatshepsut, using DNA testing.

In 2006, Egypt's antiquities chief began a search for Hatshepsut's mummy. He was assisted by a five million US dollar donation from the Discovery Channel to set up a DNA lab to test mummies.

In April this year, the unidentified mummy was brought from Luxor to the Cairo Museum for DNA testing.

Then in June, experts made a stunning match.

CT scans showed that a tooth found in a relic box with Hatshepsut's insignia fit a gap in the mummy's jaw.

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