The ancient Egyptians believed that a person's spirit continued after death and that the afterlife was similar to the world they lived in. However, gaining access to this afterlife was not guaranteed, and it required a dangerous journey through the underworld and a final judgment. As a result, family members and embalmers took great care to ensure their deceased loved ones could reach a desirable afterlife.
Researchers from Egypt have used CT technology to non-invasively examine the mummy of a teenage boy from 2,300 years ago who belonged to a high socioeconomic class. The mummy had never been opened before. The scientists discovered that the boy had been buried with an array of amulets, numbering 49 in total, of various types, all intended to aid his resurrection. He was also buried with sandals and a garland of ferns, both of which held significant ritual significance. The boy is considered a "Golden boy" as his mummy is an undisturbed example of ancient Egyptian beliefs about the afterlife.
Buried with 49 Amulets for Protection in the Afterlife
Phys stated that the study's findings, published in Frontiers in Medicine, offer a rare glimpse into mummification practices and the significance of grave ornaments during the Ptolemaic period. These results provide valuable information about ancient Egyptian beliefs and customs surrounding death and the afterlife.
Dr. Sahar Saleem, the study's first author and a professor at the Faculty of Medicine of Cairo University, Egypt, explains that the mummy's body was adorned with 49 amulets in a distinctive configuration of three columns among the folds of the wrappings and within the mummy's body cavity. The said amulets comprised the scarab, the Eye of Horus, the placenta, the akhet amulet of the horizon, and the Knot of Isis. Most of them were created from gold, while the others were made of semi-precious stones, faience, or fired clay. Their pursuit was to cover the body and give it energy in the afterlife.
The "Golden boy" mummy dated back to the period between 332 BCE and 30 BCE and was discovered in 1916 at a cemetery in Nag el-Hassay in southern Egypt. It was stored, unexamined, in the basement of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo until the recent study. The mummy was found within the two coffins, an outer coffin with a Greek script and an inner rigid sarcophagus. He was also found wearing a gilded head mask, a pectoral cartonnage that covered his chest, and a pair of sandals.
Mummification Practices and Beliefs of the Ptolemaic Period
The internal organs, except the heart, had been removed through an incision, and the brain had been removed through the nose and replaced with resin. According to Dr. Sahar Saleem, the sandals were likely intended to allow the boy to walk out of the coffin, as per the ancient Egyptian ritual Book of the Dead. The dead were mandated to wear white sandals to be righteous and pure before repeating their verses.
The CT scans revealed that the boy was 128 cm tall, had not undergone circumcision, and had no discernible cause of death other than natural causes. Based on the degree of bone fusion and the presence of non-erupted wisdom teeth, the researchers estimated that the boy was between 14 and 15 years old. His teeth were in good condition, with no signs of cavities, tooth loss, or periodontal disease.
The mummy was also found with garlands of ferns around the outer surface.
Dr. Sahar Saleem says, "The ancient Egyptians had a great interest in plants and flowers and believed they held sacred and symbolic powers. At the time of burial, bouquets of plants and flowers were placed beside the deceased, as seen in the mummies of the New Kingdom kings Ahmose, Amenhotep I, and Ramesses the Great. The deceased was also offered plants during each visit to the dead during feasts."
'Golden Boy' Mummy and Ancient Egyptian Civilization
The amulets found with the mummy demonstrate a diversity of ancient Egyptian beliefs. For example, a golden tongue leaf was placed in the mouth to ensure the boy could speak in the afterlife, while a two-finger amulet was placed near his penis to protect the embalming incision. The Isis Knot was included to enlist the protection of the goddess Isis over the body, a right-angle amulet was meant to bring balance and leveling, and the ostrich plumes and double falcon defined the duality of spiritual as well as material lives. A golden scarab beetle was found inside the thoracic cavity, which the researchers also 3D-printed a replica of, as reported by Live Science.
Dr. Sahar Saleem further explains that the heart scarab is mentioned in chapter 30 of the Book of the Dead, which is important in the afterlife while judging the deceased and mulling the heart against the feather of the deity Maat. The heart scarab was placed inside the torso cavity during mummification to substitute for the heart, so as not to bear witness against the deceased if the body was ever deprived of this organ.
As a result of these findings, the management of the Egyptian Museum decided to move the mummy to the main exhibition hall under the nickname "Golden boy." In its new location, visitors can admire the mummy alongside CT images and a 3D-printed version of the heart scarab amulet, allowing them to get as close as possible to the glories of ancient Egyptian civilization.
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