Mummy yields earliest known Egyptian embalming recipe

Algernon_Asimov
2018-08-24T11:05:33Z

Summary

The article describes the investigation of a 5,600-year-old mummy from Egypt, how it predates known mummification by 1,500 years, but uses ingredients still used thousands of years later.

Extract

Dating to some 5,600 years ago, the prehistoric mummy at first seemed to have been created by chance, roasted to a decay-resistant crisp in the desert. But new evidence suggests that the Turin mummy was no accident—and now researchers have assembled a detailed recipe for its embalmment.

The ingredient list represents the earliest known Egyptian embalming salve, predating the peak mummification in the region by some 2,500 years. But this early recipe is remarkably similar to the later embalming salves used in extensive rituals to help nobles like King Tut pass into the afterlife.

Link

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2018/08/news-egyptian-prehistoric-mummy-embalming-recipe/

Comments URL: https://tildes.net/~humanities.history/5ic/mummy_yields_earliest_known_egyptian_embalming_recipe

Votes: 5

Comments: 0