The role of computed axial tomography in the study of the mummies of Akhmim, Egypt
For more than a quarter century, computed axial tomography (CT) has given Egyptologists an increasingly sophisticated, non-invasive means of examining the interior of mummified bodies. What has been lacking from mummy studies to date is a regional focus confining itself to a single, defined populati...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
PAGEPress Publications
2005-12-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Biological Research |
| Online Access: | https://www.pagepressjournals.org/index.php/jbr/article/view/10086 |
| _version_ | 1819290211300933632 |
|---|---|
| author | Jonathan Elias Carter Lupton |
| author_facet | Jonathan Elias Carter Lupton |
| author_sort | Jonathan Elias |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | For more than a quarter century, computed axial tomography (CT) has given Egyptologists an increasingly sophisticated, non-invasive means of examining the interior of mummified bodies. What has been lacking from mummy studies to date is a regional focus confining itself to a single, defined population which makes its comparisons within narrowly defined limits of time and space. A study of Akhmimic mummies, hundreds of which entered the museum collections of Europe, America and elsewhere late in the 19th century, promises to greatly benefit the study of Egyptian mummification generally while gathering specific data on Akhmim’s priestly population of the Ptolemaic period (332-30 BC). Recent CT examination of two female mummies from Akhmim has underscored the importance of considering features other than those on the traditional list of mummy contents. While amulets, visceral packets, and linen wadding have been noted for years, it is clear that they existed side by side with objects that, while difficult to classify, were equally deliberate and significant. The Akhmim Studies Consortium has been established to increase our knowledge of these poorly understood aspects of the embalming process as it existed at Akhmim and in surrounding locale |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-24T03:19:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-25aef209400a4380a0ebb8ca63f2fe02 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1826-8838 2284-0230 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-24T03:19:08Z |
| publishDate | 2005-12-01 |
| publisher | PAGEPress Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Biological Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-25aef209400a4380a0ebb8ca63f2fe022022-12-21T17:17:32ZengPAGEPress PublicationsJournal of Biological Research1826-88382284-02302005-12-0180110.4081/jbr.2005.10086The role of computed axial tomography in the study of the mummies of Akhmim, EgyptJonathan EliasCarter LuptonFor more than a quarter century, computed axial tomography (CT) has given Egyptologists an increasingly sophisticated, non-invasive means of examining the interior of mummified bodies. What has been lacking from mummy studies to date is a regional focus confining itself to a single, defined population which makes its comparisons within narrowly defined limits of time and space. A study of Akhmimic mummies, hundreds of which entered the museum collections of Europe, America and elsewhere late in the 19th century, promises to greatly benefit the study of Egyptian mummification generally while gathering specific data on Akhmim’s priestly population of the Ptolemaic period (332-30 BC). Recent CT examination of two female mummies from Akhmim has underscored the importance of considering features other than those on the traditional list of mummy contents. While amulets, visceral packets, and linen wadding have been noted for years, it is clear that they existed side by side with objects that, while difficult to classify, were equally deliberate and significant. The Akhmim Studies Consortium has been established to increase our knowledge of these poorly understood aspects of the embalming process as it existed at Akhmim and in surrounding localehttps://www.pagepressjournals.org/index.php/jbr/article/view/10086 |
| spellingShingle | Jonathan Elias Carter Lupton The role of computed axial tomography in the study of the mummies of Akhmim, Egypt Journal of Biological Research |
| title | The role of computed axial tomography in the study of the mummies of Akhmim, Egypt |
| title_full | The role of computed axial tomography in the study of the mummies of Akhmim, Egypt |
| title_fullStr | The role of computed axial tomography in the study of the mummies of Akhmim, Egypt |
| title_full_unstemmed | The role of computed axial tomography in the study of the mummies of Akhmim, Egypt |
| title_short | The role of computed axial tomography in the study of the mummies of Akhmim, Egypt |
| title_sort | role of computed axial tomography in the study of the mummies of akhmim egypt |
| url | https://www.pagepressjournals.org/index.php/jbr/article/view/10086 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jonathanelias theroleofcomputedaxialtomographyinthestudyofthemummiesofakhmimegypt AT carterlupton theroleofcomputedaxialtomographyinthestudyofthemummiesofakhmimegypt AT jonathanelias roleofcomputedaxialtomographyinthestudyofthemummiesofakhmimegypt AT carterlupton roleofcomputedaxialtomographyinthestudyofthemummiesofakhmimegypt |