Shin Dong Hoon, Choi Young Hi, Shin Kyoung-Jin, Han Gil Ro, Youn Minyoung, Kim Chong-Youl, Han Sung Ho, Seo Jae Cheol, Park Sung Sil, Cho Yong-Jin, Chang Byung Soo
Department of Anatomy, Seoul National University, College of Medicine, 28 Yongon-dong, Chongno-gu, Seoul 110-799, Korea.
Ann Anat. 2003 Jul;185(4):377-82. doi: 10.1016/S0940-9602(03)80065-1.
Although naturally mummified corpses have frequently been found in medieval tombs of Korea, there have been no scientific reports on the physical status of the mummies. In this study, we first tried to investigate the mummy using radiological methods. On physical examination, there were no findings suggestive of the cause of the death. From the radiological studies, we found that some internal organs were well preserved, while the bones showed similar appearances to those of living cases. From the stage of development of the teeth and carpal bones, the age of the mummy was estimated to be 4.5 to 6.6 years old. Although the exact cause of the mummification could not be clearly elucidated, it may be due to the lime-soil mixture outside the outer coffin, completely sealing the inner coffin from the outer spaces. In this study, as the mummy in the medieval tomb has proved to be well preserved over the last 400 years, similar cases could give invaluable clues to the physical status of medieval Koreans.
尽管在韩国中世纪古墓中经常发现自然形成的木乃伊尸体，但关于这些木乃伊的身体状况却没有科学报告。在本研究中，我们首次尝试使用放射学方法对木乃伊进行调查。体格检查未发现提示死亡原因的迹象。通过放射学研究，我们发现一些内部器官保存完好，而骨骼的外观与活体病例相似。根据牙齿和腕骨的发育阶段，估计该木乃伊的年龄为4.5至6.6岁。尽管木乃伊化的确切原因尚无法明确阐明，但可能是由于外棺外的灰土混合物，使内棺与外部空间完全隔绝。在本研究中，由于中世纪古墓中的木乃伊在过去400年中被证明保存完好，类似案例可能会为中世纪韩国人的身体状况提供宝贵线索。
