Egypt. Computed tomography of the “Golden Boy” mummy revealed 49 hidden precious amulets

Incredibly detailed tomography of the so-called “Golden Boy”, a mummy from ancient Egypt, has revealed a hoard of 49 precious amulets, many of which are made of gold.

The little mummy got its nickname from an amazing display of wealth, including a gilded head mask found in the mummy’s sarcophagus.

Scientists believe that the boy was about 14 or 15 years old when he died because he had not yet erupted his wisdom teeth.

Scientists at Cairo University used computed tomography (CT) “digitally” to examine mummy wrappers discovered over 100 years ago, in 1916, in a tomb at Nag al-Hasai in southern Egypt that was stored in a basement. Egyptian Museum in Cairo ever since.

According to a statement about the new study, the mummy “was placed in two coffins, an outer coffin with Greek inscriptions and an inner wooden coffin.”

When analyzing the scans, the scientists found that dozens of different amulets, many made of gold, in 21 shapes and sizes, were strategically placed on or inside his body.

While others were made from semi-precious stones, fired clay or faience (colored pottery).

These include an amulet next to an uncircumcised penis, a golden “scarab heart” (a common amulet in ancient Egypt, especially for funerary purposes) placed in the chest cavity, and a golden tongue in the mouth.

The statement said the mummy also wore sandals and her body was wrapped in a wreath of ferns.

In addition to the heart, the boy’s internal organs were removed through an incision, and his brain was removed through his nose and replaced with resin.

The CT scan showed the boy was 128 cm tall, between 14 and 15 years old, had good teeth, and the apparent cause of death was unknown.

Amulets reflect a wide range of Egyptian beliefs. For example, a golden tongue leaf was placed in the mouth so that the boy could speak in the afterlife, and a rectangular amulet was supposed to provide balance.

Lead author of the study, Dr. Sahar Selim, said: “Here we show that the body of this mummy was richly decorated with 49 beautifully styled amulets in a unique arrangement of three columns between the scabbard folds and inside. the mummy’s body cavity…its purpose was to protect the body and give it vitality in the afterlife.”

Writing in the journal Frontiers in Medicine, the scientists added that they believed he had a high socioeconomic status, although they are unsure of the mummy’s true identity based on grave goods alone.

Source: Daily Mail