"Screaming Mummy" reveals some secrets
Thus far, researchers have assumed that the gaping mouth of the so-called "screaming woman" is the result of a shoddy mummification process. However, recent investigations suggest a different conclusion.
The woman known as the "screaming mummy" may have died a painful death around 3500 years ago. This is what mummy expert Sahar Saleem from Cairo University discovered after extensive examinations using state-of-the-art scientific technology.
The mummy, designated CIT8, had previously attracted attention due to its unique facial expression and wide-open mouth. Since embalmers in ancient Egypt typically wrapped the jawbone and skull to keep the deceased's mouth closed, the question arose as to why this was not done in this case. According to Saleem, an open mouth has only been found in two other ancient Egyptian mummies, both of which she has examined.
In the first case, it is believed to be the remains of a prince named Pentawere, who was involved in the murder of his father Ramses III (1185-1153 BC). His body was barely mummified, suggesting that the mummification process was not careful.
In the second case, it is believed to be Princess Meritamun, who died of a heart attack. The open mouth is thought to be due to post-mortem contraction or movement of the jaw.
Saleem, wanting to learn more about the "screaming mummy," used various techniques such as computed tomography and infrared technology to examine CIT8 and analyze the resulting scans. One could say that CIT8 was "virtually dissected." The expert found that the 1.54-meter-tall woman died at the age of 48. She had mild spinal arthritis and was missing several teeth, which she likely lost before her death. Some of the remaining teeth were broken or showed signs of wear.
Frankincense and Juniper
The expert also observed that the woman's body was mummified with precious substances such as frankincense and juniper resin, which were imported from the eastern Mediterranean and East Africa or South Arabia at the time.
Furthermore, the woman's natural hair was dyed with henna and juniper. Her long wig was made from date palm fibers and treated with quartz, magnetite, and albite crystals, probably to strengthen the curls and give them the black color preferred by the ancient Egyptians as a symbol of youth.
Notably, the brain, diaphragm, heart, lungs, liver, spleen, kidneys, and intestines were not removed before mummification. This is unusual, as in the classic mummification method of that time, all organs except the heart were removed.
Despite a thorough examination of the mummified body, the researcher found no apparent cause of the woman's death. However, based on the findings so far, Saleem concluded that the woman did not have her mouth wide open due to negligent mummification. She believes there's another reason. "The screaming facial expression of the mummy in this study could be interpreted as rigor mortis, indicating that the woman died screaming in agony or pain," Saleem speculates. Such rigor mortis is a rare form of muscle stiffness typically associated with violent death under extreme physical conditions and intense emotions.
The woman's mummy was discovered in 1935 by archaeologists from the Metropolitan Museum in New York during an archaeological expedition near Luxor. Initially, the tomb of the ancient Egyptian architect Senenmut was found in Deir Elbahari. Beneath his burial chamber, more bodies were discovered, including the woman with the black wig, wide-open mouth, and gold and silver scarab rings. It is believed that the woman was related to Senenmut.
Even though the investigations did not provide definitive answers about the woman's cause of death and the reason for her frightening facial expression, the current study's results are helpful for other researchers. The preferred explanation for the mummy's open mouth by the authors is "plausible," according to cardiologist Randall Thompson, who has also studied ancient mummies using computed tomography, as quoted by CNN.
The study's results were published in the academic journal "Frontiers in Medicine".
The research findings suggest that the "screaming mummy" might not have died due to negligent mummification, as previously thought. Instead, the open mouth could be a result of rigor mortis, indicating a painful or distressing death. Moreover, the need for enhanced health and safety measures during mummification processes is highlighted, to prevent such distressing post-mortem changes and preserve the integrity of the deceased.
