Synchrotron "virtual archaeozoology" reveals how Ancient Egyptians prepared a decaying crocodile cadaver for mummification.
Although Ancient Egyptians mummified millions of animals over the course of one millennium, many details of these mummification protocols remain unknown. Multi-scale propagation phase-contrast X-ray synchrotron microtomography was used to visualise an ancient Egyptian crocodile mummy housed at the M...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2020-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0229140 |
| _version_ | 1818405160983986176 |
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| author | Camille Berruyer Stéphanie M Porcier Paul Tafforeau |
| author_facet | Camille Berruyer Stéphanie M Porcier Paul Tafforeau |
| author_sort | Camille Berruyer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Although Ancient Egyptians mummified millions of animals over the course of one millennium, many details of these mummification protocols remain unknown. Multi-scale propagation phase-contrast X-ray synchrotron microtomography was used to visualise an ancient Egyptian crocodile mummy housed at the Musée des Confluences (Lyon, France). This state-of-the-art non-destructive imaging technique revealed the complete interior anatomy of the mummy in three dimensions. Here, we present detailed insight into the complex post-mortem treatment of a decaying crocodile cadaver in preparation for mummification. Except for the head and the extremities of the limbs, everything beneath the skin of the crocodile (i.e. organs, muscles, and even most of the skeleton) was removed to cease further putrefaction. This unexpected finding demonstrates that earlier knowledge obtained from textual and other archaeological sources does not sufficiently reflect the diversity of mummification protocols implemented by Ancient Egyptians. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T08:51:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-05763ff6bd78436584b4fc22455aa590 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T08:51:38Z |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-05763ff6bd78436584b4fc22455aa5902022-12-21T23:09:01ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032020-01-01152e022914010.1371/journal.pone.0229140Synchrotron "virtual archaeozoology" reveals how Ancient Egyptians prepared a decaying crocodile cadaver for mummification.Camille BerruyerStéphanie M PorcierPaul TafforeauAlthough Ancient Egyptians mummified millions of animals over the course of one millennium, many details of these mummification protocols remain unknown. Multi-scale propagation phase-contrast X-ray synchrotron microtomography was used to visualise an ancient Egyptian crocodile mummy housed at the Musée des Confluences (Lyon, France). This state-of-the-art non-destructive imaging technique revealed the complete interior anatomy of the mummy in three dimensions. Here, we present detailed insight into the complex post-mortem treatment of a decaying crocodile cadaver in preparation for mummification. Except for the head and the extremities of the limbs, everything beneath the skin of the crocodile (i.e. organs, muscles, and even most of the skeleton) was removed to cease further putrefaction. This unexpected finding demonstrates that earlier knowledge obtained from textual and other archaeological sources does not sufficiently reflect the diversity of mummification protocols implemented by Ancient Egyptians.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0229140 |
| spellingShingle | Camille Berruyer Stéphanie M Porcier Paul Tafforeau Synchrotron "virtual archaeozoology" reveals how Ancient Egyptians prepared a decaying crocodile cadaver for mummification. PLoS ONE |
| title | Synchrotron "virtual archaeozoology" reveals how Ancient Egyptians prepared a decaying crocodile cadaver for mummification. |
| title_full | Synchrotron "virtual archaeozoology" reveals how Ancient Egyptians prepared a decaying crocodile cadaver for mummification. |
| title_fullStr | Synchrotron "virtual archaeozoology" reveals how Ancient Egyptians prepared a decaying crocodile cadaver for mummification. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Synchrotron "virtual archaeozoology" reveals how Ancient Egyptians prepared a decaying crocodile cadaver for mummification. |
| title_short | Synchrotron "virtual archaeozoology" reveals how Ancient Egyptians prepared a decaying crocodile cadaver for mummification. |
| title_sort | synchrotron virtual archaeozoology reveals how ancient egyptians prepared a decaying crocodile cadaver for mummification |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0229140 |
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