Marzena Ożarek-Szilke / Universidade de Wrocław
An analysis of a mummy found that the child, believed to be around 8 years old, has a strange object on his chest. Investigators believe it could be a papyrus with the child’s name.
Archaeologists in Poland have discovered clues that help solve an ancient Historical mystery about an Egyptian mummy 2000 years old,
The remains, kept in the Wrocław Archdiocesan Museum since 1914, belong to a boy whose identity and origin had been forgotten following the loss of important records during the Second World War.
The discovery is the result of a recent study published in the journal Digital Applications in Archeology and Cultural Heritage, led by historian Agata Kubala from the University of Wrocław. Starting in 2023, researchers carried out the first comprehensive analysis of the mummy using advanced imaging techniques including CT scans and x-rays. These methods allowed the team to create detailed 3D models of both the body and its carton without damaging the fragile remains.
The analysis revealed that the child had approximately eight years old at the time of death, based on dental development. However, no clear signs of illness or trauma were found, leaving the cause of death unknown. Despite this, the team managed to reconstruct aspects of the mummification process.
The boy’s brain was removed through the nasal cavitya common practice in ancient Egypt, while most of the internal organs appear to have been extracted through the rectum, an unusual method compared to the more typical abdominal incision. The body was then partially filled with tissue, although it contained relatively little resin. These characteristics suggest that the burial probably belonged to a middle class family during the Ptolemaic period, refers to .
Other information came from the carton itself, which features decorative elements such as rosettes, lotus motifs and a winged beetle. These symbols associated with Upper Egypt, particularly the regions near Kom Ombo and Aswan. The iconography also includes a hybrid deity believed to represent Nehebkau.
Perhaps the most intriguing discovery, however, is a Mysterious object found on boy’s chest. Detected through 3D images, the object cannot yet be physically examined due to the mummy’s delicate state of conservation. Investigators believe it could be a papyrus containing personal information, possibly even the child’s name.
Scientists will now explore non-invasive methods to unlock the secrets of the hidden object, which could finally reveal the boy’s identity.
