Secrets of the Grave

Al Ahram Weekly (Nevine El-Aref)

With photo:

n 1922, among the shrines and chests piled in the treasury room of Tutankhamun's tomb, the bodies of two prematurely born babies were discovered inside an undecorated wooden chest, writes Nevine El-Aref

The lid was originally tied into position and fixed with a seal showing a jackal with nine captives. In the box were two miniature anthropoid coffins, one 49.5 centimetres long, the other 57.7, placed side by side, head to foot.

The two coffins were painted with black resin relieved by gilded bands of inscriptions that referred to each occupant simply as "the Osiris", with no other names specified. The lids were attached to the coffin bases in the normal manner, using eight flat wooden tenons. Bands of linen were then tied around the coffins beneath the chin and around the waist and ankles, and each was again given a clay seal with the impression of a jackal and nine captives.

After the linen bands and the lids were removed second coffins were discovered, the entire surface of each covered in gold foil. Within these second coffins were the mummified remains of two babies.

In 1932 autopsies were performed, revealing that the mummies were of fetuses, one born four months, the other two months, prematurely.

Now the mummies are to be re-examined.