Modeling Ancient Egyptian Mummification on Fresh Human Tissue: Macroscopic and Histological Aspects

Anatomical Record

Volumn 298, Issue 6, 2015, Pages 974-987

  Papageorgopoulou, Christina ^a   Shved, Natallia ^b   Wanek, Johann ^b   Rühli, Frank J ^b  

^a DEMOCRITUS UNIVERSITY OF THRACE   (Greece)

^b UNIVERSITY OF ZURICH   (Switzerland)

Author keywords

Embalming; Muscle; Natron; Postmortem alteration; Skin

Indexed keywords

SODIUM CARBONATE;

ARTICLE; CONTROLLED STUDY; EPIMYSIUM; EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE; FEMALE; HISTOLOGY; HUMAN; HUMAN TISSUE; HUMIDITY; LEG; METHODOLOGY; MUSCLE TISSUE; PALEOPATHOLOGY; PH; POSTMORTEM CHANGE; PRIORITY JOURNAL; SOFT TISSUE; STRATUM CORNEUM; TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT; TISSUE PRESERVATION; PATHOLOGY; POSTHUMOUS CARE; PROCEDURES; SKELETAL MUSCLE; SKIN;

FUNGI;

EMBALMING; FEMALE; HUMANS; MUMMIES; MUSCLE, SKELETAL; SKIN; TISSUE PRESERVATION;

EID: 84930343998     PISSN: 19328486     EISSN: 19328494     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1002/ar.23134     Document Type: Article

References (43)

1. Adams B. 1998. Egyptian mummies. Buckinghamshire: Shire publications.
2. Ahmed, FZ, Baig MW, Gascoyne-Binzi D, Sandoe JAT. 2011. Enterococcus cecorum aortic valve endocarditis. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 70:525-527.
3. Aufderheide A. 2003. The scientific study of mummies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
4. Brier B, Wade R. 1997. The use of natron in human mummification: a model experiment. Zeitschrift Für Ägyptische Sprache Und Altertumskunde 124:89-100.
5. Buckley SA, Evershed RP. 2001. Organic chemistry of embalming agents in pharaonic and Graeco-roman mummies. Nature 413:837-841.
6. Byard RW, Tsokos M. 2007. Forensic issues in cases of diogenes syndrome. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 28:177-181.
7. Campobasso CP, Falamingo R, Grattagliano I, Vinci F. 2009. The mummified corpse in a domestic setting. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 30:307-310.
8. Carter D, Tibbett M. 2006. Microbial decomposition of skeletal muscle tissues (ovis aries) in a sandy loam soil at different temperatures. Soil Biol Biochem 38:1139-1145.
9. Devriese LA, Dutta GN, Farrow JAE, van de Kerckhove A, Phillips BA. 1983. Streptococcus cecorum, a new species isolated from chickens. Int J Syst Bacteriol 33:772-776.
10. Friker J, Zeiler E, McDaniel BJ. 2007. Vom formalin zum salz - entwicklung und einführung einer konservierungslösung auf salzbasis für anatomische unterrichtspräparate. Tierärztliche Praxis 4:243-248.
11. Galloway A, Birkby W, Jones A, Henry T, Parks B. 1989. Decay rates of human remains in an arid environment. J Forensic Sci 34:607-616.
12. Garner R. 1979. Experimental mummification. In: David A, editor. Manchester mummy project. Manchester: Manchester University Press. p 19-24.
13. Greub G, Devriese LA, Pot B, Dominguez J, Bille J. 1997. Enterococcus cecorum septicemia in a malnourished adult patient. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 16:594-598.
14. Hess MW, Klima G, Pfaller K, Künzel KH, Gaber O. 1998. Histological investigations on the tyrolean ice man. Am J Phys Anthropol 106:521-532.
15. Hopkins DW, Wiltshire PEJ, Turner BD. 2000. Microbial characteristics of soils from graves: an investigation at the interface of soil microbiology and forensic science. Appl Soil Ecol 14:283-288.
16. Hsueh P-R, Teng L-J, Chen Y-C, Yang P-C, Ho S-W, Luh K-T. 2000. Recurrent bacteremic peritonitis caused by Enterococcus cecorum in a patient with liver cirrhosis. J Clin Microbiol 38:2450-2452.
17. Ikram S. 2005. Manufacturing divinity: the technology of mummifcation. In: Ikram S, editor. Devine creatures: animal mummies in ancient Egypt. Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press. p 16-43.
18. Jaggers KA, Rogers TL. 2009. The effects of soil environment on postmortem interval: a macroscopic analysis. J Forensic Sci 54:1217-1222.
19. Janaway RC, Wilson AS, Dias GC, Guillen S. 2009. Taphonomic changes to the buried body in arid environments: an experimental case study in Peru. In: Ritz K, Dawson L, Miller D, editors. Criminal and environmental soil forensics. Springer. p 341-356.
20. Jit I, Sehgal S, Sahni D. 2001. An indian mummy: a case report. Forensic Sci Int 117:57-63.
21. Lee Goff M. 2009. Early postmortem changes and stages of decomposition in exposed cadavers. Experimental and. Appl Acarol 49:21-36.
22. Lucas A. 1914. The use of natron by the ancient egyptians in mummification. J Egypt Archaeol 1:119-123.
23. Lucas A. 1932a. The occurrence of natron in ancient egypt. J Egypt Archaeol 18:62-66.
24. Lucas A. 1932b. The use of natron in mummification. J Egypt Archaeol 18:125-140.
25. Lynnerup N. 2007. Mummies. Am J Phys Anthropol 134:162-190.
26. Marek J, Zink A, Gigler AM, Heckl W, Stark RW. 2010. Nanostructure and mechanics of mummified type I collagen from the 5300-year-old tyrolean iceman. Proc R Soc B 277:2301-2309.
27. Mekota A-M, Vermehren M. 2005. Determination of optimal rehydration, fixation and staining methods for histological and immunohistochemical analysis of mummified soft tissues. Biotech Histochem 80:7-13.
28. Mekota AM, Grupe G, Zimmerman MR, Vermehren M. 2005. First identification of an ancient egyptian mummified human placenta. Int J Osteoarchaeol 15:51-60.
29. Müller B, Lang S, Dominietto M, Rudin M, Schulz G, Deyhle H, Germann M, Pfeiffer F, David C, Weitkamp T. 2008. High-resolution tomographic imaging of microvessels. Proc. SPIE 7078, Developments in X-Ray Tomography VI, 70780B; doi:10.1117/12.794157.
30. Notman D, Aufderheide A. 1992. Experimental mummification and computed imaging. I World Congress on Mummy Studies. Tenerife, Canary Islands Museo Arquelógico y Etnográfico de Tenerife, Organismo Autónomo de Museos y Centros Actas de I Congreso Internacional de Estudios sobre Momias. p 821-828.
31. Panzer S, Borumandi F, Wanek J, Papageorgopoulou C, Shved N, Colacicco J, Rühli JF. 2013. Modeling ancient Egyptian embalming: radiological assessment of experimentally mummified human tissue by CT and MRI. Skeletal Radiology 42: 1527-35.
32. Rauch A. 2005. Experimentelle Mumifizierung als Grundlage für eine forensische Unterpretation der Liegezeit. Erlangen-Nürnberg: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität.
33. Rogers CJ, Clark K, Hodson BJ, Whitehead MP, Sutton R, Schmerer WM. 2011. Postmortem degradation of porcine articular cartilage. J Forensic Legal Med 18:52-56.
34. Ruffer M. 1921. Histological studies on Egyptian mummies. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 49-89 p.
35. Rühli FJ, von Waldburg H, Nielles-Vallespin S, Böni T, Speier P. 2007. Clinical magnetic resonance imaging of ancient dry human mummies without rehydration. JAMA 298:2618-2620.
36. Sandison AT. 1963. The use of natron in mummification in ancient egypt. J Near East Stud 22:259-267.
37. Schulz F, Tsokos M, Püschel K. 1999. Natürliche mumifikation im häuslichen milieu. Rechtsmedizin 10:32-38.
38. Shin DH, Youn M, Chang BS. 2003. Histological analysis on the medieval mummy in Korea. Forensic Sci Int 137:172-182.
39. Shved N, Haas C, Papageorgopoulou C, Akguel G, Paulsen K, Bouwman A, Warinner C, Rühli F. 2014. Post mortem DNA degradation of human tissue experimentally mummified in salt. PLoS One 2014 Oct 22;9(10):e110753. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110753. eCollection 2014.
40. Weitzel M. 2005. A report of decomposition rates of a special burial type in edmonton, alberta from an experimental field study. J Forensic Sci 50:641-647.
41. Wilson AS, Janaway RC, Holland AD, Dodson HI, Baran E, Pollard AM, Tobin DJ. 2007. Modelling the buried human body environment in upland climes using three contrasting field sites. Forensic Sci Int 169:6-18.
42. Woo PCY, Tam DMW, Lau SKP, Fung AMY, Yuen K-Y. 2004. Enterococcus cecorum empyema thoracis successfully treated with cefotaxime. J Clin Microbiol 42:919-922.
43. Zimmerman MR, Brier B Wade RS. 1998. Brief communication: twentieth-century replication of an egyptian mummy: implications for paleopathology. Am J Phys Anthropol 107:417-420.