Zesch Stephanie, Panzer Stephanie, Rosendahl Wilfried, Nance John W, Schönberg Stefan O, Henzler Thomas
Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen, Museum Weltkulturen D5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany.
Department of Radiology, Trauma Center Murnau, Prof.-Kuentscher-Strasse 8, 82418 Murnau, Germany; Institute of Biomechanics, Trauma Center Murnau and Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Prof.-Kuentscher-Strasse 8, 82418 Murnau, Germany.
Eur J Radiol Open. 2016 Jul 25;3:172-81. doi: 10.1016/j.ejro.2016.07.002. eCollection 2016.
The aim of this study was to systematically reinvestigate the first human mummy that was ever analyzed with X-ray imaging in 1896, using dual-source computed tomography (DSCT) in order to compare the earliest and latest imaging technologies, to estimate preservation, age at death, sex, anatomical variants, paleopathological findings, mummification, embalming and wrapping of the child mummy from ancient Egypt. Radiocarbon dating was used to determine the mummy's age and to specify the child's living period in the Egyptian chronology.
The ancient Egyptian child mummy is kept in the Senckenberg Museum of Natural History in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. An accelerator mass spectrometer (MICADAS) was used for radiocarbon dating. DSCT was performed using a 2 × 64 slice dual-source CT system (Siemens Healthineers, Forchheim, Germany). A thorough visual examination of the mummy, a systematic radiological evaluation of the DICOM datasets, and established methods in physical anthropology were applied to assess the bio-anthropological data and the post mortem treatment of the body.
Radiocarbon dating yielded a calibrated age between 378 and 235 cal BC (95.4% confidence interval), corresponding with the beginning of the Ptolemaic period. The mummy was a male who was four to five years old at the time of death. Remnants of the brain and inner organs were preserved by the embalmers, which is regularly observed in ancient Egyptian child mummies. Skin tissue, inner organs, tendons and/or musculature, cartilage, nerves and vasculature could be identified on the DSCT dataset. The dental health of the child was excellent. Anatomical variants and pathological defects included a congenital Pectus excavatum deformity, hepatomegaly, Harris lines, and longitudinal clefts in the ventral cortices of both femora.
Our results highlight the enormous progress achieved form earliest to latest imaging technology for advanced mummy research using the first human mummy investigated with X-ray. With the application of DSCT, detailed knowledge regarding age at death, sex, diseases, death, and mummification of a child from Ptolemaic Egypt are revealed while considering the temporary rites of body treatment and burial for children.
本研究旨在利用双源计算机断层扫描（DSCT）对1896年首例接受X射线成像分析的人类木乃伊进行系统的重新研究，以比较最早和最新的成像技术，评估古埃及儿童木乃伊的保存状况、死亡年龄、性别、解剖变异、古病理学发现、木乃伊化、防腐处理和包裹情况。采用放射性碳年代测定法确定木乃伊的年龄，并在埃及年表中明确该儿童的生活时期。
这具古埃及儿童木乃伊保存在德国美因河畔法兰克福的森肯伯格自然历史博物馆。使用加速器质谱仪（MICADAS）进行放射性碳年代测定。使用2×64层双源CT系统（西门子医疗，德国福希海姆）进行DSCT检查。对木乃伊进行了全面的目视检查，对DICOM数据集进行了系统的放射学评估，并应用体质人类学的既定方法来评估生物人类学数据和尸体的死后处理情况。
放射性碳年代测定得出校正年龄在公元前378年至235年之间（95.4%置信区间），与托勒密时期开始相对应。这具木乃伊是一名男性，死亡时年龄在4至5岁。防腐师保存了大脑和内脏的残余部分，这在古埃及儿童木乃伊中经常可以观察到。在DSCT数据集中可以识别出皮肤组织、内脏、肌腱和/或肌肉组织、软骨、神经和脉管系统。该儿童的牙齿健康状况极佳。解剖变异和病理缺陷包括先天性漏斗胸畸形、肝肿大、哈里斯线以及双侧股骨腹侧皮质的纵向裂隙。
我们的研究结果突出了从最早到最新成像技术在使用首例接受X射线检查的人类木乃伊进行高级木乃伊研究方面取得的巨大进展。通过应用DSCT，揭示了有关托勒密时期埃及一名儿童的死亡年龄、性别、疾病、死亡情况和木乃伊化的详细信息，同时考虑了儿童尸体处理和埋葬的临时仪式。
