Traditional archaeology is essential to understand the past, but unfortunately certain methods can sometimes damage the element under study (which is why we always take highly detailed notes!). It is for this reason that countless sites and artifacts are purposefully left alone, because archaeologists wish to leave it intact for future archaeologists to study. But modern advances are now allowing archaeologists to start studying these artifacts without risking any damage to it. One such element which has been recently studied digitally, resulting in no damage whatsoever, is the mummy of Amenhotep I.
As the second king of the 18th Dynasty (1549 – 1292 BCE), Amenhotep I ruled over ancient Egypt from 1525 to 1504 BCE and may have even done so alongside his mother Ahmose-Nefertari for a period of time. Amenhotep I died at the age of 35 and was mummified. His cause of death remains unknown and his original tomb has yet to be discovered. However, his mummy had been moved by royal priests during the 20th or 21st dynasty to Deir el-Bahri (close to Ancient Thebes, opposite modern day Luxor) along with numerous other New Kingdom (1539 – 1075 BCE) mummies. These mummies were found in 1881 CE.
Sadly, at one point in modern times it was a trend to unwrap mummies (honestly, they made parties out of it) which effectively destroyed the remains. Luckily, Amenhotep I was spared this fate. He would remain unwrapped until May 4th 2019, almost 140 years since his re-discovery. This time, however, the mummy would remain intact. Amenhotep I remained on the grounds of the Cairo Egyptian Museum, within the gardens of the museum, as it was placed into a multi-detector CT scanning machine sitting in the back of a truck. Through the use of a 3D data set created by the CT scanner, digital layers of the mummy’s wrappings were removed thus revealing, for the first time since Amenhotep’s mummification over 3,500 years ago, what lay beneath. They were able to deduce his age, facial features and height as well as his facial similarities to his father Ahmose I.
The scans revealed a total of 30 amulets and jewelry pieces which included the eye of Horus, scarabs, a serpent-headed amulet, and even a girdle formed of 34 golden beads. Along with these pieces, researchers were able to learn how Theban priests during the 21st Dynasty repaired damaged mummies through hieroglyphic texts. In the case of Amenhotep I, the Theban priests unwrapped and re-wrapped the mummy sometime between 1070 and 945 BEC. Amenhotep I’s reburial treatment included, but was not limited to; fixing the detached skull and fractured neck with a resin-treated linen; placing two detached left-hand fingers inside the abdomen; placing the disarticulated right foot on a wooden board reinforced with metallic nails; and using ivory/bone pins to fix and hold bandages. Researchers were also able to note that Amenhotep I was circumcised (that body part was individually wrapped) though the reasoning behind this is still uncertain.
By digitally unwrapping the mummy of Amenhotep I, not only are researchers learning more about this famous figure in history, but they are also ensuring the preservation of future discoveries and advancing what archaeology looks like in the 21st century.
Text: Megan Kumorek. MENAM Archaeology. Copyright 2022.
Image 1: Image of the mummy: S. Saleem and Z. Hawass through the Smithsonian Institute.
Image 2: The coffin of Amenhotep I. Wikimedia Commons.
Further reading:
Saleem SN and Hawass Z (2021) Digital Unwrapping of the Mummy of King Amenhotep I (1525–1504 BC) Using CT. Front. Med. 8:778498.
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