The Mammals of Ancient Egypt

Non-destructive assessment of wrapped mummified animal remains from ancient Egypt using imaging techniques is the most ethically viable manner by which to investigate bundle contents. Bundles studied to date revealed complete and incomplete animal skeletons, multiple individuals (or parts thereof) wrapped together in one bundle, non-skeletal material, organic matter and anomalies of unknown origin. The identification of animal species using imaging alone can be fraught with difficulty, especially in cases in which the skeleton is incomplete and diagnostic elements are lost or significantly damaged. This paper describes the radiographic investigation of a mummy bundle wrapped in the form of a canid, a species closely associated with ancient Egyptian embalming deities. Computed tomography (CT) was performed, and the bundle contents were computer modelled, leading to the production of a laser sintered 3D replica. Imaging identified three skeletal fragments carefully positioned to act as structural support for the bundle; however, radiographic data proved inadequate to enable definitive identification of these elements. 3D printing enabled direct comparison with skeletal reference collections and confirmed that the bones were of human origin. This paper demonstrates that imaging of wrapped animal mummy bundles and 3D printing of unidentified elements or non-skeletal anomalies will assist in their accurate identification in a non-destructive manner.

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Application of clinical imaging and 3D printing to the identification of anomalies in an ancient Egyptian animal mummy

Mcknight

Adams

Atherton-Woolham

et al. 2015

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

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Were There Duikers in Ancient Egypt?

Manlius¹

2001

Science

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Deformity in the "Boxing Boys"

Ferrence¹,

Bendersky²

2005

pbm

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The late Bronze Age wall painting the Boxing Boys (c. 17th-16th century BCE) was excavated in the ancient town of Akrotiri on the Greek island of Thera. This article considers a medical interpretation for the spinal-pelvic anomaly in the anatomy of one of the boys. The artist has depicted a combination of structural anatomical adjustments diagnostic of spondylolisthesis, a forward slippage of one of the lumbar vertebrae. The accurate portrayal of the surface appearance of this condition suggests that the artist painted directly from a live subject. Thus, the Boxing Boys mural may be the earliest visual record of a sports-induced injury. Although the meaning of the wall paintings is unclear, the wild goats (agrimia) on the adjoining walls simulate swayback as a reflection of the boy's torso deformity and share other features with the boxers, adding to the unifying characteristics of the room. The abnormal morphology appears to be the earliest achievement of transforming disease into aesthetic charm on a monumental scale.

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The Mammals of Ancient Egypt

Cited by 6 publications

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Application of clinical imaging and 3D printing to the identification of anomalies in an ancient Egyptian animal mummy

Application of clinical imaging and 3D printing to the identification of anomalies in an ancient Egyptian animal mummy

Were There Duikers in Ancient Egypt?

Deformity in the "Boxing Boys"

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