Multidisciplinary investigation of two Egyptian child mummies curated at the University of Tartu Art Museum, Estonia (Late/Graeco-Roman Periods) - PubMed (original) (raw)

. 2020 Jan 16;15(1):e0227446.

doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227446. eCollection 2020.

Jaanika Anderson 3, Mari Tõrv 2, Signe Vahur 1, Riina Rammo 2, Sünne Remmer 4, Maarja Mölder 4, Martin Malve 2, Lehti Saag 5 6, Ragnar Saage 2, Anu Teearu-Ojakäär 1, Pilleriin Peets 1, Kristiina Tambets 5, Mait Metspalu 5, David C Lees 7, Maxwell V L Barclay 7, Martin J R Hall 7, Salima Ikram 8 9, Dario Piombino-Mascali 10

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Multidisciplinary investigation of two Egyptian child mummies curated at the University of Tartu Art Museum, Estonia (Late/Graeco-Roman Periods)

Ester Oras et al. PLoS One. 2020.

Abstract

Two ancient Egyptian child mummies at the University of Tartu Art Museum (Estonia) were, according to museum records, brought to Estonia by the young Baltic-German scholar Otto Friedrich von Richter, who had travelled in Egypt during the early 19th century. Although some studies of the mummies were conducted, a thorough investigation has never been made. Thus, an interdisciplinary team of experts studied the remains using the most recent analytical methods in order to provide an exhaustive analysis of the remains. The bodies were submitted for osteological and archaeothanatological study, radiological investigation, AMS radiocarbon dating, chemical and textile analyses, 3D modelling, entomological as well as aDNA investigation. Here we synthesize the results of one of the most extensive multidisciplinary analyses of ancient Egyptian child mummies, adding significantly to our knowledge of such examples of ancient funerary practices.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1

Fig 1. The two human mummies from the collections of the University of Tartu Art Museum.

A—older mummy (OM; KMM A 64); B—younger mummy (YM; KMM A 63).

Fig 2

Fig 2. The calibrated dates of the two mummies and the OxCal4.3.2 combine model shows that the subjects were not buried at the same time.

Fig 3

Fig 3. CT scan images of the mummies.

A—trans-nasal craniotomy in the form of an anterior skull base defect and solidified resin inside the skull of the older mummy; B—anterior skull base defect in the younger mummy; C—linear skin defect on the back of the left hand of the older mummy; D—torso of the younger mummy showing folded textiles inside the thoracic cavity, as well as textile bundles and a small oval object inside the abdomen.

Fig 4

Fig 4. Ancient DNA authentication.

Older mummy (OM S1, tooth root) on the left, younger mummy (YM S5, hair) on the right. A. DNA damage at the ends of fragments. Red line—C=>T substitutions; blue line—G=>A substitutions; orange line—soft-clipped bases. B. Read length distribution of sequencing reads mapped to the human reference sequence.

Fig 5

Fig 5. Selection of ATR-FT-IR spectra of embalming and textile impregnating materials.

A—Material from the older mummy’s left foot (OM S7); B—Material from the older mummy’s abdominal cavity (OM S4); C—Material from the younger mummy’s hair (YM S9); D—Textile-impregnating material from the younger mummy (YM S3).

Fig 6

Fig 6. ESI-FT-ICR-MS spectra with identified compounds.

A—sample OM S4; B—sample YM S4.

Fig 7

Fig 7. Optical microscope photos of the sample OM S7 from the left foot toe area showing the white particles (sodium salts) under the embalming resin sample.

A—upper part, and B—lower part of the sample piece.

Fig 8

Fig 8. ATR-FT-IR spectra of textile samples from mummy (YM S1) and pure linen for comparison.

Green boxes show the characteristic absorbance bands of cellulose-based fibres and the red box shows the area of spectrum that does not belong to fibres (could belong to embalming materials).

Fig 9

Fig 9. Dislocations in a line reveal that flax fibres were not entirely separated from each other during the preparation process.

A—OM S5; SEM photo taken in Aalto University Nanomicroscopy Center; B—YM S12; TLM photo taken in the University of Tartu, Department of Archaeology.

Fig 10

Fig 10. Cocoon remains recovered from the older mummy (KMM A 64) coffin.

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References

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Grants and funding

JA: University of Tartu rectorate funds; EO, MT, RR, MM, RS: IUT20-7; Estonian Research Council Institutional Research Funding Scheme; https://www.etag.ee/; KT, LS: PUT1217; Estonian Research Council Personal Research Funding Scheme; www.etag.ee; SV, ATO, PP: PUT1521; Estonian Research Council Personal Research Funding Scheme; https://www.etag.ee/; EO: MOBERC14; Estonian Research Council Mobilitas Pluss Support for applying for an ERC grant; https://www.etag.ee/; DPM: Estophilus scholarship no. 36.10-3/338; Archimedes Foundation; http://archimedes.ee/; EO: PSG492; Estonian Research Council Personal Research Funding Scheme; https://www.etag.ee/.

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