Researchers used computed tomography to analyze an ancient Egyptian mummy known as the 'Braided Woman,' which is housed in an American museum. The analysis confirmed that the remains belonged to an adult woman, presumably living during the XVIII–XXI dynasties and belonging to the non-royal elite.
Scientists were able to establish details about the body preparation process for burial, but they did not find clear reasons for her death at a relatively young age. A report on the work was published in the scientific journal Radiology Case Reports.
Modern radiological methods are widely used by anthropologists and paleopathologists, especially when working with ancient Egyptian mummies. These non-destructive techniques help determine the specifics of funerary preparation, identify diseases, and ascertain causes of death for both pharaohs and ordinary Egyptians.
Max Goodman from the University of Michigan and his colleagues from Canada and the USA participated in this study. Their focus was on the mummy that has been kept in the Museum of World Treasures in Wichita (Kansas) since 2006. Previously, in 1860, grave robber and physician James Douglas brought the remains to Canada, where they ended up in the Niagara Falls History Museum.
According to experts, this woman, nicknamed the 'Braided Woman' or 'Woman with Braids' due to her hairstyle, lived approximately 3500–3000 years ago. Specialists believe she held a high social status but was not part of the royal family. Her estimated age at death was around 25–30 years.
The body was found not in a separate tomb, but in a cache along with other mummies, suggesting a possible burial during the New Kingdom or the Third Intermediate Period, when Egypt was ruled by pharaohs of the XVIII–XXI dynasties. Computed tomography was used to examine the body's condition and preparation in detail.
Scans showed that the woman's skull was intact, with no signs of brain removal; remnants of the brain were still present. However, some internal organs had been removed, consistent with the mummification practices of that era. Researchers found no convincing evidence of serious injuries sustained before or during death on the bones or soft tissues. No traces of severe infections, such as smallpox or plague, were identified.
The only pathological finding in the 'Braided Woman' was dental problems, likely resulting from regular consumption of food containing abrasive particles (sand). Furthermore, it was determined that a mouth-opening ritual was performed during the body preparation, which, according to Egyptian beliefs, allowed the mummy to breathe and speak in the afterlife.
