| Romano-Egyptian Woman Human Mummy | |
| Biographical Information | |
|---|---|
| Name(s) | unnamed |
| Age | unknown |
| Sex | female |
| Status | high |
| Height | 3.2 feet |
| Source | |
| Culture | Roman |
| Date(s) | 2000 years old |
| Site | Bahariya Oasis |
| Current Location | |
| Location | Cairo, Egypt |
| Catalog # | |
This mummy was found in a 2,300 year-old tomb in the Bahariya Oasis, about 225 miles southwest of Cairo. Called the Valley of the Golden Mummies, the Bahariya Oasis has been home to the largest Egyptian cemeteries. Around 10,000 mummies have been uncovered at the site.
The unidentified mummy was found in a coffin depicting a female in Roman attire, indicating that she lived in Egypt during its period of Roman rule - 31 BC until the 7th century Arab invasions. The coffin itself, when discovered, was thought to contain a dwarf, due to its size, but this remains unconfirmed. It is likely that the remains found inside belonged to a short, or dwarfed-woman rather than a young girl, due to the elaborate work on her sarcophagus. The detail and jewels embedded in her coffin indicate high status and affluence. Dwarfed stature in Ancient Egypt did not disqualify an individual from high-status, and many were given positions close to the kings.
Along with the coffin, they also found four plaster anthropoid funerary masks, coins, clay and glass vessels, jewelry, and a sheet of gold depicting Imsety, Duamutef, Hapi and Qebehsenuef, the four sons of the ancient Egyptian sky god Horus.
External Links[]
http://www.messagetoeagle.com/curious-gold-figurine-of-female-dwarf-is-a-puzzle/
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/04/photogalleries/100420-roman-mummy-egypt-pictures/
References[]
Bossone, A. (2010, April 21). Egypt Pictures: Roman-Style Mummy, Tombs Found. Retrieved April 04, 2016, from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/04/photogalleries/100420-roman-mummy-egypt-pictures/