This sensational find continues to reveal new insights into the time 2000 years ago: In 2018, Polish researchers examined a mummy that is said to have come from the royal tombs in Thebes, Egypt. They discovered that the body was that of a pregnant woman. Now the researchers have explained how the fetus was able to survive in her body for so long.
During a CT scan, the research team led by Wojciech Ejsmond discovered the formation in the mummy’s pelvis. According to the researchers, it is the first known finding of a pregnant embalmed body. The scientists explain their discovery on the research project’s blog and in the current issue of the “Journals of Archaeological Science”.
“The fetus remained untouched in the uterus and began, shall we say, ‘pickling’ itself. This may not be the most aesthetically pleasing description, but it gives an idea of what happened,” the researchers write.
In corpses, the pH of the blood falls quickly, and the blood becomes acidic after a while. During embalming, the body was filled with baking soda. This also prevented air and oxygen from reaching the body. The researchers continue to explain that over time an almost hermetically sealed uterus developed.
The nature of the mummification also caused the bones of the fetus to almost completely disintegrate. Only the soft tissue remained in its mineralized form. According to the researchers, this is an important finding for the study of other mummies. Normally radiologists look for bones in the remains – it is more important to pay attention to the shape of the tissue in the pelvis.
An observation that could encourage other researchers to re-examine mummies. Maybe this will reveal one or the other of them previously undiscovered secrets.
Sources: ScienceDirect, Warsaw Mummy Project, ScienceDirect