Pharaoh's mummy Amehotep reveals his secrets 3,500 years after his death

El cuerpo momificado del faraón Amenhotep I de Egipto, un rey guerrero que vivió hace 3.500 años y fue durante siglos fue una especie de enigma para los egiptólogos, comenzó a develar sus secretos gracias a una tomografía computarizada en 3D.

In this way, his mummy was digitally "unwrap" to unveil that the king had a pointed chin, small nose and curly hair and physically resembled his father.In addition, perhaps something surprising for someone who died so long ago, also has a good teeth.

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Amenhotep, Pharaoh of the XVIII dynasty, was crowned around year 1.525 a.C., and during his reign he bravely directed military expeditions to Libya and northern Sudan.Deceased in 1.504 a.C.And mummified, the body of Amethotep I was the only one among the pharaonic mummies that had not been studied by scientists due to their exceptional state of conservation.

Now, thanks to a three -dimensional computerized tomography -whose results were published this December 28 in the magazine Frontiers in Medicine -a team of researchers from the University ofCairo could see through the bandages of the mummy of Amenhotep some details that some details that some details that, until now, they were unknown.

The study results revealed that Amenhotep and had an approximate stature of 1.69 meters, a denture in good condition with slightly outgoing upper teeth and was circumcised, according to the study.In addition, it was learned that at the time of being mummified, his entrails were taken away, but they left his brain and heart.

Sahar Salem, a professor at the University ofCairo, Radióloga and main author of the study, said that the fact that the teeth of the body were in such a good condition was testimony of how "amazing" that the mummification process was.

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"The mummified bodies were well preserved.Even the tiny bones inside the ears were preserved.Without a doubt, Amenhotep's teeth were well preserved.Many real mummies had defective teeth, but Amenhotep had good teeth, ”he added.

Thanks to the pharaonic tomography, it was also learned that the pharaoh had a narrow chin, a small nose, curly hair.In addition, it was discovered that Amenhotep died when he was 35 but the researchers did not find evidence of lethal wounds, disfigurations or diseases that have led him death.

Preserved now in the Egyptian Museum ofCairo, the mummy of Amethotep showed that the pharaoh was buried with 30 pieces of jewelry considered amulets for his trip to the "beyond" and a metal girdle that is probably gold.In addition, it retains a decoration made with flower garlands, while their face and neck are covered by colored stones.

His body was a victim of tombs thieves

The original tomb of Amenhotep and was never found.The mummy was discovered 140 years ago in Deir El-Bahari, a place close to the old pharaonic city of Luxor, where it is known that officials of the XXI dynasty hid the mummies of kings and nobles to protect them from the thieves of tombs.

Explorers led by Gaston Maspero, director of the Antiques Service of Egypt, and his German assistant, Emile Brugsch, found in 1881 - thanks to the help of a family of paid treasure looters - most of the mummies of the great pharaohs of theXVIII, XIX and XX dynasties.

Together with the sarcophagus of Amethotep I, Maspero and his team also found the mummies of the kings Tutmosis I, Tutmosis III, the famous Ramses II, Seti I and Ramses III, among others.They had been buried there by the priests of the XXI dynasty (1070 to 945 to.C.) To save them from plundering in a time of great political instability for Egypt.

Trasladada a ElCairo, en la momia de Amenhotep los egiptólogos encontraron una antigua avispa que había quedado atrapada junto al faraón en su viaje a la eternidad.

"Almost all mummies were covered with dry garlands (although not all as well preserved as that of Amethotep i) and withered lotos that had remained intact for thousands of years, and there was no better way to understand the suspension of time and brake onThe decomposition to see those immortal flowers on eternal bodies.It is the image of an endless dream, "wrote Eugène Lefébure, director of the French Institute of Archeology, who participated in the expedition.

The tomography revealed that the remains of Pharaoh Amehotep suffered post -mortem injuries possibly caused by tombs thieves.In fact, thanks to hieroglyphs, it was known that the sarcophagus had been looted, indeed, four centuries after its original burial before the priests of the eleventh century would develop the body and repair the damage.

"We could not find any wound or disfiguration due to a disease to justify the cause of death, except numerous post -mortem mutilations, presumably for tomb thieves after their first burial," said Salem.

"The first mummer had taken his bowels, but not his brain or his heart," he added."We demonstrated that, at least for Amethotep I, the priests of the XXI dynasty repaired with love the wounds inflicted by the thieves of tombs, restored their mummy to their original glory and preserved the magnificent jewels and amulets in their place".

"The fact that Amenhotep I had never developed in modern times gave us a unique chance.By digitally developing the mummy and detach.

Although not as famous as Akhenaton, Tutankamon or Ramses II, Amenhotep and ruled Egypt for approximately 21 years.It was the second king of the XVIII dynasty and rose to the throne after the death of his father, Ahmose (or Amosis).

His name means "Amun is satisfied", in reference to the Egyptian God of the air, although his reign name was Djerkare - "Holy is the soul of Re" - and it is considered that he had a peaceful reign that allowed him to concentrate on the administrative organizationand the construction of temples.It is possible that he has co-govern with his mother, Queen Ahmose-Neferti.