Modeling Ancient Egyptian Mummification on Fresh Human Tissue: Macroscopic and Histological Aspects

Swiss Mummy Project, Centre for Evolutionary Medicine, Institute of Anatomy,University of Zurich, Z€urich, SwitzerlandABSTRACTMany studies have been concerned with the ancient Egyptian mum-mification method; nevertheless, little effort has been made to explore itexperimentally. The goal of this study is to apply evidence-based diagnos-tic criteria and state-of-the art methodology in order to improve knowl-edge on soft tissues preservation and postmortem alterations. Two humanlower limbs (LL) from a female donor were (1) “naturally” mummified bydry heat and (2) artificially in natron. At specific time intervals a macro-scopic and radiological examination of the LL was performed and skinand muscle samples were taken for histological and biomolecular analy-sis. Temperature, humidity, pH, and weight of the LL were systematicallymeasured. The mummification by dry heat was stopped after 7 days dueto unexpected lack of mummification progress. The mummification innatron was completed successfully after 208 days. The humidity, theexternal temperature, and the pH were proven with Pearson correlationand principal component analysis as important factors for the mummifi-cation process. The steady removal of water from the tissues through thenatron has prevented the putrefaction. This is also evident in the absenceof bacteria or fungi through the microbiological analysis. The histologicalanalysis revealed very good preservation of the skin and the muscle tis-sues. In the muscular sample certain degree of structural disintegrationcan be seen, particularly affecting the epimysium whilst in the skin sam-ples the epidermis, especially the stratum corneum, is mostly affected.The samples show better preservation compared with ancient Egyptiansections and other mummified tissues from historic or forensic context.Anat Rec, 298:974–987, 2015.