In 1935, archaeologists from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York discover a mummified woman at Deir el-Bahari, a tomb complex within the Theban necropolis in Egypt.
The mummy was entomb in a wooden coffin, adorn with a black wig and two jasper rings. Her mouth remain open, seemingly frozen in a perpetual scream of terror. This haunting figure has come to be known as the ‘Screaming Woman‘
Initially, experts speculate that the mummy might have been inadequately preserve, potentially accounting for the chilling expression on her face at the time of death.
Some experts believe that the embalmers might have overlook closing her mouth before her burial around 2,500 years ago.
Recent examinations have shown that the majority of her internal organs remain intact, deepening the mystery surrounding the case.
Researchers from Cairo University and Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities conduct a study on the case. They have conclude that the woman experience severe suffering prior to her death, although it was not due to inadequate mummification techniques.
Sahar Saleem, a radiologist professor at Cairo University’s Kars Al Airy Hospital and study co-author, explain, ‘Our research reveals that she was embalm using expensive, import embalming materials’.
“Her well-preserve state and this finding challenge the conventional notion that neglecting to remove inner organs signifies inadequate mummification.”
In the research, Saleem utilize CT scans to examine the remains of the Screaming Woman. Additionally, she employ various non-invasive methods to investigate the materials involve in the embalming procedure.
The mummy exhibit no visible embalming incisions, and its internal organs—such as the liver, brain, and lungs—remain perfectly preserve.
During the New Kingdom period (1550 to 1069 BCE), it was customary to extract and preserve the internal organs of the decease in canopic jars.
Typically, only the heart remain in the body after mummification. However, this method was not use for the Screaming Woman. Despite this, she was exceptionally well-preserve, suggesting a different mummification technique, as note by Saleem.
Experts estimate that the Screaming Woman stood approximately five feet tall and was around 48 years old at the time of her death.
The exact cause of her death remains unknown; however, examinations reveal bone spurs on her spinal vertebrae, suggesting she had mild arthritis. Additionally, she was missing several teeth, likely due to extractions perform during her lifetime.
Her wig was craft from date palm fibers and treat with albite, quartz, and magnetite crystals. This process not only stiffen the strands but also preserve the rich black color.
A chemical examination of her skin reveal the use of frankincense and juniper berry oil in her embalming process. These costly substances, likely import from regions such as East Africa, Southern Arabia, and the Eastern Mediterranean, highlight the significance of trade in ancient embalming practices.
Saleem propose that the mummy’s facial expression result from a cadaveric spasm, a rare condition where muscles stiffen post-mortem due to intense physical or emotional stress.
In 1935, the Screaming Woman was found and subsequently transport to the Kars Al Airy School of Medicine in Cairo for further examination.
In 1998, she was relocate to the Cairo Egypt Museum. Her wooden coffin and rings have been exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York since 1935.