Scanning the Pharaohs: CT Imaging of the New Kingdom Royal Mummies

Description

The royal mummies in the Cairo Museum are an important source of information about the lives of the ancient Egyptians. The remains of these pharaohs and queens can inform us about their age at death and medical conditions from which they may have suffered, as well as the mummification process and objects placed within the wrappings. Using the latest technology, including Multi-Detector Computed Tomography and DNA analysis, co-authors Zahi Hawass and Sahar Saleem present the results of the examination of royal mummies of the Eighteenth to Twentieth Dynasties. New imaging techniques not only reveal a wealth of information about each mummy, but render amazingly lifelike and detailed images of the remains. In addition, utilizing 3D images, the anatomy of each face has been discerned for a more accurate interpretation of a mummy's facial features. This latest research has uncovered some surprising results about the genealogy of, and familial relationships between, these ancient individuals, as well as some unexpected medical finds. Historical information is provided to place the royal mummies in context, and the book with its many illustrations will appeal to Egyptologists, paleopathologists, and non-specialists alike, as the authors seek to uncover the secrets of these most fascinating members of the New Kingdom royal families. Contents Tables Foreword Acknowledgments Chronology1 Introduction Radiographic Imaging of Royal Egyptian Mummies: Previous and Current Studies The Story of the Royal Caches The Discovery of the Mummy of Queen Hatshepsut, and Examination of the Mummies of Her Family CT Examination of Selected Midto Late Eighteenth Dynasty Mummies The CT Scan of the Mummy of Tutankhamun: New Evidence on the Life and Death of the King The Two Fetuses Found in the Tomb of Tutankhamun Investigations into King Tutankhamun’s Family The Search for the Mummy of Queen Nefertiti The Nineteenth Dynasty The Twentieth Dynasty: Ramesses III, Pentawere, and the Harem Conspiracy CT Findings on the Mummification Process of Royal Ancient Egyptians, Eighteenth to Early Twentieth Dynasties Amulets, Funerary Figures, and Other Objects Found on the Mummies Faces of the Royal Mummies Appendix: List of the Royal Mummies in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo Glossary Illustration Credits Abbreviations Notes Bibliography Index