The Bioarchaeological Value of Human Mummies Without Provenience

Abstract

Thirteen spontaneously (naturally) mummified human bodies with little or no available provenience data were examined by inspection, dissection and tissue chemical analysis. The purpose of the study was to test the hypothesis that useful anthropological/ archaeological and biomedical information could be derived from bodies even when no reliable provenience for recovered mummies is known. Results of studies on these 13 bodies enabled recognition of their cultural identity, and indicated probable extensive exposure to cold marine water (diving?) in the form of external auditory exostoses. Analysis also revealed coca leaf-chewing (or ingesting) practices that probably caused premature antemortem tooth loss. Biological studies identified the presence of Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis) in six of the bodies, two of which probably died of this infection during the acute stage. Tuberculous osteomyelitis was established in two mummies with one revealing multiple septicemic lesions of the miliar type. Healed pneumonia and osteopenia were present in several others, one with multiple compressed vertebral fractures. We conclude that even mummies without provenience data harbor much recoverable information that can be integrated into anthropological and biomedical databases.Key words: Mummies without cultural context, bioarchaeology, Chagas disease, pneumonia, tuberculosis. En este estudio se presentan los análisis morfológicos, osteopatológicos y químicos de trece cuerpos con momificación natural cuyo contexto cultural era pobre o no existente. El propósito de este estudio fue verificar la hipótesis de que a pesar de que los cuerpos no presentaban un contexto arqueológico bien definido, estos podían ser muy útiles para investigar importantes problemas bioarqueológicos y biomédicos de la prehistoria local. Los resultados permitieron ubicar a estos trece cuerpos en un marco cultural y establecer la presencia de exostosis auditivas

A new protocol for radiocarbon dating of hair and keratin type samples—application to an Andean mummy from the National Museum of Natural History in Paris

“…Radiocarbon dating permits to identify both the time period and the cultural identity, on the basis of the chronological classification established for the concerned region (Arriaza et al 2008). Experimental part for radiocarbon dating Sampling A few hairs have been cut with very small scissors (Fig.…”

Chronic active non-lethal human-type tuberculosis in a high royal Bavarian officer of Napoleonic times–a mummy study

“…Likewise, the recent significant advances in radiological techniques, molecular tests (ancient DNA, “proteomics”), radiocarbon (absolute dating) as well as stable isotope analysis (diet, localisation of origin) provide a growing body of valuable information on historic individuals. In this regard, complete mummies are much more informative than mummy parts or skeletal remains alone [ 2 ]. Our group has recently shown the capability of such multidisciplinary mummy studies on an unknown Inca mummy that had originally been claimed to represent a bog body [ 3 ].…”

Reconstructing the Life of an Unknown (ca. 500 Years-Old South American Inca) Mummy – Multidisciplinary Study of a Peruvian Inca Mummy Suggests Severe Chagas Disease and Ritual Homicide

“…Accordingly, the recent significant advances of modern radiological techniques and molecular analysis of various biomolecules (ancient DNA, “proteomics”) and instable as well as stable isotopes (absolute dating, diet, localization of origin) provide an increasing body of information. To this regard, complete mummies are much more informative than mummy parts or only bones [1] . Fine examples for the potential of such studies have exemplarily been recently shown by Hawass et al [2] , [3] in the case of the mummy of Pharaoh Tutanchamun and other royal mummies from ancient Egypt.…”