In 1881, archaeologists discovered the mummy of Amenhotep I in Deir el-Bahari, a village outside Egypt’s famous Valley of the Kings. But for 140 years, scientists did not want to open the mummy so as not to damage the fancy face mask and bandages. Thanks to computerized tomography (CT) technology, they no longer have to take this risk. Researchers at the University of Cairo “digitalized” the mummy recently to learn about Amenhotep’s life and dynasty.
Scans revealed that the pharaoh was about 35 years old when he died. The director of the study, Dr. “Amenhotep I physically resembled his father: he had a narrow jaw, a small narrow nose, curly hair and slightly protruding upper teeth,” says Sahar Saleem. However, why he died at such a young age has not yet been determined. The researchers found no evidence of external wounds or deformities that could have caused his death.
However, it turns out that tomb robbers had entered and damaged the tomb in prehistory. These damages seem to have been repaired by the 21st Dynasty mortuary priests, some 400 years after Amenhotep’s death. Researchers also found some 30 talismans hidden among Amenhotep’s bandages. The fact that they were still there even after Amenhotep’s re-burial refutes the theory that talismans were used repeatedly in later dynasties.
The study also provides insight into one of the most fascinating periods in Egyptian history. Amenhotep ruled from 1525 to 1504 BC during the New Kingdom of Egypt. He was also the father of Tutankhamun.
Archaeologists first examined a mummy with a CT scan in 1977. As technology matured and became more accessible, it allowed researchers to study mummies in ways they couldn’t before. In 2017, the Chicago Field Museum conducted a survey of its own collection, one of the most comprehensive in the United States, with the help of portable CT scanners.
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