New insight from MALDI-TOF MS and multivariate data analysis on the botanical origin of polysaccharide-based paint binders in ancient Egypt.

Polysaccharide-based materials of plant origin are known to have been used as binding media in paint and ground layers of artifacts from ancient Egypt, including wall paintings, cartonnages and sarcophagi. The use of gums from Acacia, Astragalus and Prunus genera has been suggested in the literature on the basis of their qualitative or quantitative monosaccharide profile after complete chemical hydrolysis. The introduction of partial enzymatic digestion of the polysaccharide material, followed by analysis of the released oligosaccharides by matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry, has proved effective in discriminating among gums from different genera, as well as among species within the Acacia genus. In this study, the previously built Acacia database was expanded, principal component analysis (PCA) was used to aid in grouping of the samples, and data interpretation was refined following a modified acacieae taxonomy. Application of the analytical strategy to investigate the paint binders in artworks from ancient Egypt allowed qualitative discrimination of gums at a species level, and provided new insights into the artists' material choices.

Fragments of Alchemy from a Cairene Synagogue: Context, Codicology, and Contents of the Alchemical Corpus of the Cairo Genizah.

This article presents the results of a survey and a first assessment of the corpus of alchemical manuscripts retrieved from the Cairo Genizah, a storage room mainly intended for sacred writings that is attached to the Ben Ezra synagogue of Old Cairo. The alchemical manuscripts are described in their codicological and palaeographic features; their content is analysed in the context of the medieval production of alchemical texts in the surrounding Islamic world. The alchemical corpus of the Genizah represents a unique and widely unstudied source for our understanding of the relationship between Jews and alchemy in the medieval Mediterranean World.

Preservation of the heart in ancient Egyptian mummies: A computed tomography investigation with focus on the myocardium.

The ancient Egyptians considered the heart to be the most important organ. The belief that the heart remained in the body is widespread in the archeological and paleopathological literature. The purpose of this study was to perform an overview of the preserved intrathoracic structures and thoracic and abdominal cavity filling, and to determine the prevalence and computed tomography (CT) characteristics of the myocardium in the preserved hearts of ancient Egyptian mummies. Whole-body CT examinations of 45 ancient Egyptian mummies (23 mummies from the Ägyptisches Museum und Papyrussammlung, Berlin, Germany, and 22 mummies from the Museo Egizio, Turin, Italy) were systematically assessed for preserved intrathoracic soft tissues including various anatomical components of the heart (pericardium, interventricular septum, four chambers, myocardium, valves). Additionally, evidence of evisceration and cavity filling was documented. In cases with identifiable myocardium, quantitative (measurements of thickness and density) and qualitative (description of the structure) assessment of the myocardial tissue was carried out. Heart structure was identified in 28 mummies (62%). In 33 mummies, CT findings demonstrated evisceration, with subsequent cavity filling in all but one case. Preserved myocardium was identified in nine mummies (five male, four female) as a mostly homogeneous, shrunken structure. The posterior wall of the myocardium had a mean maximum thickness of 3.6 mm (range 1.4-6.6 mm) and a mean minimum thickness of 1.0 mm (range 0.5-1.7 mm). The mean Hounsfield units (HU) of the myocardium at the posterior wall was 61 (range, 185-305). There was a strong correlation between the HU of the posterior wall of the myocardium and the mean HU of the muscles at the dorsal humerus (R = 0.77; p = 0.02). In two cases, there were postmortem changes in the myocardium, most probably due to insect infestation. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the myocardium systematically on CT scans of ancient Egyptian mummies. Strong correlations between the densities of the myocardium and skeletal muscle indicated similar postmortem changes of the respective musculature during the mummification process within individual mummies. The distinct postmortem shrinking of the myocardium and the collapse of the left ventriclular cavity in several cases did not allow for paleopathological diagnoses such as myocardial scarring.

Parasites in ancient Egypt and Nubia: Malaria, schistosomiasis and the pharaohs.

The civilizations of ancient Egypt and Nubia played a key role in the cultural development of Africa, the Near East, and the Mediterranean world. This study explores how their location along the River Nile, agricultural practices, the climate, endemic insects and aquatic snails impacted the type of parasites that were most successful in their populations. A meta-analysis approach finds that up to 65% of mummies were positive for schistosomiasis, 40% for headlice, 22% for falciparum malaria, and 10% for visceral leishmaniasis. Such a disease burden must have had major consequences upon the physical stamina and productivity of a large proportion of the workforce. In contrast, the virtual absence of evidence for whipworm and roundworm (so common in adjacent civilizations in the Near East and Europe) may have been a result of the yearly Nile floods fertilising the agricultural land, so that farmers did not have to fertilise their crops with human faeces.

Evolution of orthopaedic diseases through four thousand three hundred years: from ancient Egypt with virtual examinations of mummies to the twenty-first century.

PURPOSE: This study conducts a comprehensive comparative analysis of bone pathologies between ancient Egypt and today. We aim to elucidate the prevalence, types, and potential aetiological factors influencing skeletal disorders in these two distinct temporal and cultural contexts. METHODS: The research employs a multidisciplinary approach, integrating osteological, paleopathological, and historical data to understand bone pathologies in mummies and the actual world. Applying radiographs and CT scans as noninvasive techniques has shed new light on past diseases such as fractures, dysplasia, osteoarthritis, surgery, and tuberculosis. Virtual inspection has almost replaced classical autopsy and is essential, especially when dealing with museum specimens. RESULTS: Findings indicate no significant disparities in the prevalence and types of bone pathologies through 4300 years of evolution. Moreover, this study sheds light on the impact of sociocultural factors on bone health. Examination of ancient Egypt's burial practices and associated cultural beliefs provides insights into potential behavioral and ritualistic influences on bone pathologies and the prevalence of specific pathologies in the past and present. CONCLUSION: This comparative analysis illuminates the dynamic of bone pathologies, highlighting the interplay of biological, cultural, and environmental factors. By synthesizing archeological and clinical data, this research contributes to a more nuanced understanding of skeletal health's complexities in ancient and modern societies, offering valuable insights for anthropological and clinical disciplines.

Neutron tomography of sealed copper alloy animal coffins from ancient Egypt.

Animal mummification was commonplace in ancient Egypt, with the remains of many animals placed inside statues or votive boxes with representations of animals or hybrid human-animal creatures. Votive boxes were made from a variety of materials and often sealed; some boxes are still preserved in this state in museum collections. A prior study of sealed copper alloy votive boxes from the collection of the British Museum used X-ray computed tomography to search for animal remains, where poor image quality resulted due to attenuation from the boxes and apparent dense metals inside. In this study, neutron tomography was applied to six of the votive boxes previously examined. Animal remains, likely from lizards, and fragments of textile wrappings were discovered inside three of the boxes. Evidence of the manufacturing process and subsequent repairs of the boxes were uncovered by neutrons. Significant quantities of lead were also identified in three boxes. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of neutron tomography for the study of mummified remains inside sealed metal containers, and give evidence linking the animal figures represented on top of votive boxes to the concealed remains.

First osteological evidence of severed hands in Ancient Egypt.

For the first time, the severed right hands of 12 individuals have been analysed osteologically. The hands were deposited in three pits within a courtyard in front of the throne room of a 15th Dynasty (c.1640-1530 BC) Hyksos palace at Avaris/Tell el-Dab'a in north-eastern Egypt. Although this kind of practice is known from tomb or temple inscriptions and reliefs from the New Kingdom onwards, this is the first time that physical evidence has been used to learn more about the procedure and the individuals whose hands were taken. Here, we show that the right hands belonged to at least 12 adults, 11 males, and possibly one female. It is unclear if the hands were taken from dead or living individuals. After removing any attached parts of the forearm, the hands were placed in the ground with wide-splayed fingers, mainly on their palmar sides. The osteological analysis not only supports the archaeological interpretation of this evidence but also adds more detail regarding trophy-taking practices in Ancient Egypt.

Biomolecular analyses enable new insights into ancient Egyptian embalming.

The ability of the ancient Egyptians to preserve the human body through embalming has not only fascinated people since antiquity, but also has always raised the question of how this outstanding chemical and ritual process was practically achieved. Here we integrate archaeological, philological and organic residue analyses, shedding new light on the practice and economy of embalming in ancient Egypt. We analysed the organic contents of 31 ceramic vessels recovered from a 26th Dynasty embalming workshop at Saqqara1,2. These vessels were labelled according to their content and/or use, enabling us to correlate organic substances with their Egyptian names and specific embalming practices. We identified specific mixtures of fragrant or antiseptic oils, tars and resins that were used to embalm the head and treat the wrappings using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses. Our study of the Saqqara workshop extends interpretations from a micro-level analysis highlighting the socio-economic status of a tomb owner3-7 to macro-level interpretations of the society. The identification of non-local organic substances enables the reconstruction of trade networks that provided ancient Egyptian embalmers with the substances required for mummification. This extensive demand for foreign products promoted trade both within the Mediterranean8-10 (for example, Pistacia and conifer by-products) and with tropical forest regions (for example, dammar and elemi). Additionally, we show that at Saqqara, antiu and sefet-well known from ancient texts and usually translated as 'myrrh' or 'incense'11-13 and 'a sacred oil'13,14-refer to a coniferous oils-or-tars-based mixture and an unguent with plant additives, respectively.

Illustrating papyrus in Ancient Egypt.

Illustrated papyruses from Ancient Egypt have survived across millennia, depicting with vivid colors numerous stories and practices from a distant past. We have investigated a series of illustrated papyruses from Champollion's private collection showing scenes from the Book of the Dead, a document essential to prepare for the afterlife. The nature of the different pigments and their distribution are revealed by combining optical microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction and fluorescence. The standardized three-step process from the New Kingdom period was used, comprising a preparatory drawing made of red hematite, a coloring step using pigments from the Egyptian palette, and a final black contour drawn with a carbon-based ink. Interestingly, specific pigment mixes were deliberately chosen to obtain different shades. In some parts, the final contour significantly differs from the preliminary drawing, revealing the artist's creativity. These results enhance our knowledge of illustrative practices in Ancient Egypt.

On some mummy findings from the Semmelweis Museum of Medical History, Hungarian National Museum, Budapest.

The permanent exhibition of the Hungarian National Museum, Semmelweis Museum of Medical History of Budapest, Hungary, displays some human remains believed to originate from ancient Egypt. Within the framework of the Nephthys Project, three objects consisting of two heads and one foot were studied via paleoimaging and archaeometric techniques in order to provide new anthropological and paleopathological data. It is argued here that even partial or fragmentary items are worthy of investigation as they can reveal new information about their owners, as well as their supposed authenticity.

Dental health and dentistry in ancient Egypt: Possible evidence for dental filling and extraction at Deir el-Medina.

OBJECTIVE: This study combines caries and antemortem tooth loss rates with possible dental interventions and medical texts to evaluate whether dentistry was practiced in Pharaonic Egypt. MATERIALS: The study includes 32 mandibles and 44 maxillae consisting of 485 teeth and 1052 tooth sockets. It includes 14 Egyptian texts on dental treatments. METHODS: Human remains were observed macroscopically for carious lesions and antemortem tooth loss. Egyptian texts were translated from photographs. RESULTS: 11 % of teeth were lost antemortem and 42 % of maxillae and mandibles had one or more teeth lost antemortem. One possible dental extraction is presented. Carious lesions were present in 10 % of teeth and 39 % of mandibles and maxillae. One example of a possible dental filling is presented. Two treatments from Papyrus Ebers discuss treatments to fill a tooth. CONCLUSION: AMTL and carious lesions were common in this sample, especially in older adults. The possible presence of a dental extraction and a dental filling in combination with textual references to dental fillings indicate dental interventions were sometimes used to manage dental health in Egypt. SIGNIFICANCE: This study is the earliest evidence in Egypt for a dental filling in human remains. It also offers an interdisciplinary analysis of dental treatments that indicates, contrary to earlier publications, that dental interventions were practiced in Egypt during the New Kingdom. LIMITATIONS: The poor dental health of many Egyptian populations makes it impossible to assess how frequently Egyptians used dental interventions. FURTHER RESEARCH: Future analysis of the dental filling could help determine its composition.

A Possible Stroke Victim from Pharaonic Egypt.

OBJECTIVE: We describe the consequences of a stroke in an adult mummy from ancient Egypt including the differential diagnosis. To our knowledge this is the oldest hemiparalysis to be published in the scientific literature. METHODS: The mummy, from the 25th Dynasty (c. 747-656 b.c.), was found during excavation of the tomb chapel of Hery (TT 12) and Baqi, of the early 18th Dynasty (c. 1550-1292 b.c.). Seventeen mummified bodies were found in a small corridor connecting the 2 tombs. The mummy labeled Individual 6833 was studied macroscopically and radiologically and was unique in its positioning, the presence of a crutch, and the use of sticks as supports. RESULTS: The body belonged to a woman, between 25 and 40 years of age. The type of mummification was of a high level, with excerebration and evisceration carefully performed. CONCLUSIONS: The woman suffered a stroke late in life, with left hemiparalysis after bone growth was completed, and she lived with the results for several years.

Interventive dental therapy in Ancient Egypt (ca. 2686 BCE - AD 323): A critical review.

OBJECTIVE: This paper critically reviews the history of research concerning ancient Egyptian interventive dental therapy between the Old Kingdom - Graeco-Roman Period (c. 2686 BCE-AD 323), concentrating on the published osteological evidence. MATERIALS: Eight osteological examples reportedly exhibiting markers of interventive dental therapy, including a mandible presenting purported evidence for a drilling procedure for the relief of an abscess; four dental bridges; a maxilla with multiple teeth extracted; and two carious lesion fillings. METHODS: Previous claims are critically reviewed using a qualitative research method involving collecting and critiquing published data, both primary evidence and relevant secondary literature. CONCLUSIONS: Without further scientific analysis, only four specimens can currently be plausibly attributed to ancient Egyptian interventive dental therapy including the Tura el-Asmant Bridge, the enucleation described for a Graeco-Roman child, and two carious lesion fillings identified in the mummified individuals known as the 'Redpath Mummy' (RM2718) and 'Sekhem' (AIG3343). SIGNIFICANCE: Several enduring historiographical and museological problems within the discourse are identified, revising our understanding of the nature and scope of ancient Egyptian interventive dental therapy based on currently known osteological evidence. LIMITATIONS: This review relies on the published documentation for each osteological example, namely images, which in several cases are poor quality. SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH: There is significant opportunity for further scientific analysis of the osteological evidence discussed. In each case, specific potential methods to improve our understanding and interpretation have been identified.