Full-body CT scans were performed on two mummified ancient Egyptian priests by radiologists from Keck Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC), as part of the effort to understand more about the day-to-day life of ancient Egyptians.
Both the mummies and 3D models and prints of the scans will be on display at the California Science Center’s upcoming “Mummies of the World: The Exhibition” exhibit on February 7, Keck announced in a Tuesday statement.
The exhibit first debuted at the center in 2010, and is now returning to its closing venue in Los Angeles with a “new selection of mummies never seen before in LA.”
The approximately 2,000-year-old mummies, Nes-Min, circa 330 BCE, and Nes-Hor, circa 190 BCE, were each scanned inside the bottom half of their respective sarcophagi.
The scans revealed that Nes-Min probably suffered from lower back pain, while Nes-Hor had from several dental issues and a severely deteriorated hip, the statement explained, noting that Nes-Hor was also older at his time of death than Nes-Min.
Scans revealed secrets previously unknown
After the scans were completed, the research team created 3D models of the two men, printing out life-size versions of their spines, skills, hips, and artifacts found alongside Nes-Min.
“These mummies were scanned previously, but due to advancements in scanning technology, the results are much more detailed and extensive than ever before,” Summer Decker, Director of the Center for Innovation in Medical Visualization at Keck School of Medicine of USC, said.
Decker further explained that the modern, higher-resolution images had “revealed things that were previously unknown and helped create a picture of what their lives were like.
“Mummies have long been a mystery,” anthropologist and Senior Vice President of special projects at the California Science Center, Diane Perlov, said. “Seeing beneath the surface to reveal the specific lived experience of individuals is incredibly exciting.”
“This modern scientific technology offers us a powerful window into the world of ancient people and past civilizations that might otherwise be lost.”