Recovery lines in ancient Egyptian child mummies: Computed tomography investigations in European museums

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and anatomical distribution of recovery lines (growth arrest lines) in ancient Egyptian child mummies. Wholebody computed tomography (CT) examinations of 21 ancient Egyptian child mummies from European museums were evaluated for estimation of age at death and sex of the children. CT examinations were systematically assessed for recovery lines by inspection for metaphyseal lines, diaphyseal transverse lines, and bonewithin-bone appearance at several sites of the skeleton. The estimated age at death of the children ranged from about 1 year to the age of 12-14 years. Twelve children were assessed as male, seven as female, and in two, the sex was indeterminate.Recovery lines were found in 18 out of the 21 (86%) child mummies. Metaphyseal lines were present in 12 mummies (57%), diaphyseal transverse lines in 12 mummies (57%), and bone-within-bone appearance in 11 mummies (52%). One case showed particularly dense metaphaseal bands typical of lead lines in lead poisoning. In conclusion, systematic assessment of recovery lines on CT images of ancient Egyptian child mummies showed a high prevalence of these lines. Many children had a combination of different lines, indicating more than one episode of growth disturbance. The spectrum of recovery lines included the better known metaphyseal and diaphyseal transverse lines as well as the less known bone-within-bone appearance that share the same pathomechanism. The mummy with lead lines seems to be the first case of radiological evidence of lead poisoning from ancient Egypt.

Anemias in ancient Egyptian child mummies: Computed tomography investigations in European museums

“…At this point, “the osteological paradox” should be mentioned—there is difficulty inferring the health of an individual during life from skeletal remains (Wood et al, 1992). In addition, recovery lines were found in 18 out of the 21 child mummies in a previous study and indicated a temporary episode of growth disturbance (Panzer, Schneider, et al, 2022). The prevalence of anemia based on pathological enlargement of the frontal vault of 33% in our study is lower than the prevalence of 44.6% for cribra orbitalia and 70% for porotic hyperostosis in juvenile skeletons from the Dakhleh Oasis (Wheeler, 2012; Wheeler et al, 2011).…”

“…The apparent widening of metaphyses and epiphyses of distal femurs and proximal tibias—a modeling deformity known as an Erlenmeyer flask deformity—is one of the growth disturbances that may be present in patients with thalassemia (Resnick, 2002). The bone‐within‐bone appearance found in several bones of case 2 may represent another finding of growth disturbance (Panzer, Schneider, et al, 2022). The lamellation found in the occipital bone of case 2 has been reported not only in patients with homozygous β‐thalassemia (Orzincolo et al, 1989) but also in patients with sickle cell anemia (Williams et al, 1975).…”

“…Twenty‐one ancient Egyptian child mummies from German, Italian, and Swiss museums were used for this study. These mummies had been investigated recently for different scientific issues (Panzer, Schneider, et al, 2022; Panzer, Treitl, et al, 2022). The bodies of all had been artificially mummified, 17 were still wrapped in textile, in four mummies, wrapping was not preserved.…”

“…Estimation of age at death and sex of the child mummies has been previously described (Panzer, Schneider, et al, 2022; Panzer, Treitl, et al, 2022) Sex was assessed through the visual inspection of fully or partially unwrapped bodies or by CT data evaluation of wrapped mummies. Age at death was estimated by evaluating a variety of age‐related markers, including tooth development and tooth eruption (AlQahtani et al, 2010; Moorrees et al, 1963a; Moorrees et al, 1963b; Ubelaker, 1978), the fusion of cranial sutures, the development of primary ossification centers and the epiphyseal union of postcranial bones (Scheuer & Black, 2000), and the longitudinal growth of long bones (Boccone et al, 2010) (Table 1).…”

Scanning and three-dimensional-printing using computed tomography of the “Golden Boy” mummy

“…When a juvenile experiences episodes of food scarcity or malnutrition, dense lines appear in the bones, indicating a growth disturbance ( 22 ). Growth arrest lines were discovered in 85% of the 21 mummified ancient Egyptian children housed at European museums ( 23 ). Although there were no growth arrest lines on the juvenile mummy in this study, this does not rule out the possibility that he was malnourished.…”