| Mummy 1770 Human Mummy | |
| |
| Biographical Information | |
|---|---|
| Name(s) | 1770 |
| Age | 14 |
| Sex | F |
| Status | high |
| Height | |
| Source | |
| Culture | ancient Egyptian |
| Date(s) | c.950 BC |
| Site | unknown |
| Current Location | |
| Location | Manchester Museum |
| Catalog # | 1770 |
Mummy 1770 is a female Egyptian mummy that came into the possession of the Manchester Museum about 1896. It is in a state of fairly poorly preservation, and was rediscovered in a sarcophagus that had lain undisturbed in Manchester Museum’s stores for many years. The mummy evidenced no name beyond the catalogue number given.
Studies[]
In 1975, it was decided to autopsy a mummy which was "intended to help develop a new approach to the study of Egyptian mummies, one that combined both Egyptology and scientific analysis to help researchers to find out as much as possible while damaging the mummy as little as possible." The team chose Mummy 1770 for a several reasons; it was badly preserved, and it had never been, and was unlikely ever to be placed on display. X-rays also showed that the mummy had some unusual features that meant the autopsy would not only allow new techniques to be tested, but would allow this mummy to be more thoroughly understood.
Researchers uncovered two gilded nipple amulets as well as a false phallus included in the wrappings, suggesting those who had wrapped her were doubtful as to gender. Her fingertips had gold coverings on them suggesting that she had come from a wealthy family.
Pathology[]
After a study was conducted, it was discovered that she had died at a very young age possibly as young as 13 or 14 year old. Researchers "found evidence of Guinea worm infestation, radiography revealed the calcified remains of a male Guinea worm in her abdominal wall." Researchers discovered that she had died not long after amputation of her legs and unsuccessful treatment of her dracunculiasis; "Her lower legs had been amputated probably about two weeks before death, possibly because they were ulcerated as the result of trying unsuccessfully to extract the female Guinea worms which sometimes try to break out and emerge through the skin on the legs." The left leg had been amputated below the knee, and the right from above the knee. Brightly painted slippers covered artificial feet made of reeds and mud.
She was afflicted with Dracunculiasis, also known as Guinea-worm disease, a parasitic disease caused by the nematode Dracunculus medinensis. The infection is transmitted to humans by drinking water contaminated with the small crustacean copepods (Cyclops) which contain the larvae of D. medinensis. After ingestion of cyclops contaminated water, infected larvae released in the stomach penetrate the mucosa of the stomach and intestinal wall and migrate into the connective tissue. The larvae then mature into adult worms. After maturation and impregnation of the female worms, the male worms die. Female worms fully mature after 9 to 14 months and can measure up to 1 meter in length. Worms migrate through the subcutaneous tissue. Approximately after one year of infection, the female worms are attracted to the cooler surface of the skin and emerge from the skin, usually the feet. Before emerging, they form a painful blister at the skin site.
Very little resin had been used and that very little skin remained, most was on the left hand. All of her internal organs were entirely missing, and suggests decomposition had begun at the time of the body's wrapping, the abdomen and pelvis were packed with mud and bandages.
Additional[]
Artist reconstruction of the mummy's face
Researchers removed two layers of bandages and a mask, which was damaged on the right side, though the bones of the upper jaw and face were still intact. Carbon dating put the bandages at about AD 380, but the body was 1300 years older, Egyptologists concluded that the the mummy was likely re-wrapped in the Roman era and the ambiguous sexual attribution was a result of them realizing that the person had been important but did not know the mummy's identity or gender.
References[]
April 10, 2017. 1770 (mummy). Wikipedia. September 21, 2017. Retrieved from, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1770_(mummy)
Studying Manchester Mummy 1770. Studying Mummy 1770 | Unwrapped: Manchester Mummy 1770 | The University of Manchester. September 21, 2017. Retrieved from, http://mummy1770.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/mummy1770/