Egyptology News Network

Mummy scans reveal heart disease plagued our ancestors BEFORE the emergence of junk food and cigarettes

2013-03-11T13:54:00.001Z

A macabre study of mummified corpses shows that heart attacks and strokes may have plagued the ancient world as well as the modern one - even without temptations like fast food and cigarettes. Researchers say their findings suggest heart disease may be more a natural part of ageing rather than being directly tied to modern vices like smoking, eating fatty foods and not exercising. For more,

Archaeologists discover 35 burial chambers in Sudan desert with links to Ancient Egypt

2013-02-08T10:56:00.001Z

Archaeologists excavating a site in Sudan have discovered 35 pyramids revealing fascinating links between the bygone Kingdom of Kush that once existed there and ancient Egypt. The pyramids, which date back around 2,000 years, are smaller than most Egyptian examples with the largest being 22 feet in width and the smallest, likely constructed for the burial of a child, being just 30 inches. The

The brilliant beads of 'Cleopatra's necklace': Ancient Egyptian jewellery plucked from burial mound of Siberian 'virgin princess'

2013-02-06T14:40:00.000Z

Extraordinary brightly-coloured glass jewellery believed to be from Ancient Egypt has been found in a 2,400-year-old burial mound in Siberia. Nicknamed 'Cleopatra's Necklace' by the Russians who found it, the jewellery was discovered on the skeleton of a 25-year-old woman, believed to have been a virgin priestess. Although it was discovered during a dig nine years ago, this is the first time a

Manchester Museum scan mummies to find out secrets of the ancient Egyptians

2013-02-06T14:37:00.002Z

Pictures show for the first time how cutting-edge technology is being used to analyse the millennia-old mystery of Egyptian mummies. Staff from Manchester Museum invited the M.E.N. to watch the preserved bodies undergo CT scans at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital. Over the coming months, museum staff hope to scan all 24 of their mummies. For more, see Manchester Evening News

New scans put a face on the museum’s mummies

2013-02-06T14:33:00.003Z

McGill University's Redpath Museum will soon be showing off some new additions to its Egyptology collection, after decades new CT scans are putting a new face on an old display of three mummies. For centuries our notion of ancient Egyptians has been based on two dimensional images—concepts literally carved in stone. But new technology is showing them for who they really are. The mummies were

Ancient Egyptian mummy's elaborate hairstyle recreated in 3D

2013-02-06T14:29:00.003Z

Nearly 2,000 years ago, at a time when Egypt was under the control of the Roman Empire, a young woman with an elaborate hairstyle was laid to rest only yards away from a king's pyramid, researchers report. She was 5 feet 2 inches in height, around age 20 when she died, and was buried in a decorated coffin whose face is gilded with gold. A nearby pyramid, at a site called Hawara, was built

The Pharaoh Island: 90 years after the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb, how Britain has embraced Egyptian architecture

2012-11-30T14:00:00.000Z

'Egypt in England' by Chris Elliott examines over 50 Egyptian sites in Britain, revealing the curious stories behind these unusual and often outlandish pieces of architecture and interior design. For centuries the wonder of Ancient Egypt remained largely inaccessible to European travellers, until its 'rediscovery' in the 19th century. Published by English Heritage to coincide with the

3D laser scanner brings a modern twist to ancient Egypt’s treasures

2012-11-27T08:41:00.002Z

Visits to museums on rainy afternoons have just become a lot more interesting thanks to revolutionary technology that allows artefacts to be scanned and modelled in 3D and then studied from all angles in a way the original could never be. UCL’s Petrie Museum has benefited from a shared-use agreement between the university and Canadian firm Arius3D, which makes the colour laser scanners. The

Egypt celebrates 90 year anniversary of Tutankhamun’s tomb discovery

2012-11-27T08:39:00.000Z

Ninety years ago on November 22 the tomb of the Pharaoh Tutankhamun was discovered in the Valley of the Kings near Luxor in Egypt. After years of finding smaller archaeological hauls in the area Egyptologists Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon, the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, opened the tomb and discovered an abundance of gold and fineries left with the king after his death and mummification. On

Statues of 5th dynasty top officials discovered in Abusir

2012-11-22T15:30:00.001Z

During routine excavations in Abusir South, 30km north of Giza plateau, Czech excavators from the Czech Institute of Egyptology of the Charles University in Prague, unearthed a collection of fifth dynasty ancient Egyptian statues. Miroslav Barta, the head of the Czech mission told Ahram Online that the statues were found in a hidden tunnel located inside a rock-hewn tomb of Iti, the crew

Who stabbed Ginger in the back? Scan reveals 5,500-year-old murder mystery of British Museum's most famous mummy

2012-11-22T15:26:00.002Z

An ancient mummy who has been on display in the British Museum for over 100 years was a young man murdered by a killer who stabbed him in the back, new research shows. Scans of the ancient Egyptian, known officially as Gebelein man but nicknamed Ginger for his red hair, show that a puncture just beneath his left shoulderblade was made by his murderer. Forensic experts studied the scan on a '

Ancient hieroglyphics meet cutting-edge technology

2012-11-22T15:17:00.002Z

Engineers from Loughborough University have used the latest cutting-edge technology to bring to life an ancient Egyptian inscribed tablet. Working with The Manchester Museum, Loughborough’s Professor John Tyrer has created a high-tech interactive display that will enable visitors to immerse themselves in the story behind the Stela of Hesysunebef. The Loughborough Echo

Destroy the Sphinx and the pyramids, says Egyptian jihadist

2012-11-22T15:15:00.003Z

An Egyptian Islamist leader with ties to the Taliban has called for the "destruction of the Sphinx and Giza pyramids", suggesting these "idols" contravene the laws of Islam, reports Al Arabiya. Murgan Salem al-Gohary, who served two jail sentences under former President Hosni Mubarak for inciting violence, called on Muslims to remove the ancient Egyptian relics in an interview broadcast

King Tut: Technology in the service of history

2012-11-22T15:08:00.001Z

For 3,000 years it was unknown—and that is what kept it safe. But so many people have visited the tomb of Tutankhamun, since Howard Carter, a British archaeologist, unearthed the steps leading down to the royal burial-chamber in November 1922 that it is now in critical condition. Shifting temperatures and humidity are affecting the delicate painted surfaces and conservation of the plasterwork

Putting a lid on ancient Egyptian story

2012-11-22T15:03:00.002Z

From Egypt, via a railway station to Leamington Art Gallery and Museum - an ancient artefact is set for another chapter in its long and strange history. Warwick District Council is set to give the green-light next week for the presentation of a 2,500 year-old Egyptian mummy coffin lid to Birmingham University. See Leamington Observer

Tomb of ancient Egyptian princess found south of Cairo

2012-11-22T14:59:00.002Z

The tomb of an ancient Egyptian princess has been discovered south of Cairo hidden in bedrock and surrounded by a court of tombs belonging to four high officials. Dating to 2500 B.C., the structure was built in the second half of the Fifth Dynasty, though archaeologists are puzzled as to why this princess was buried in Abusir South among tombs of non-royal officials. Most members of the

Mummy found with teeth stuffed with linen in attempt to cure tooth-ache

2012-10-12T10:48:00.002+01:00

Scientists performing CT scans on the head of an Egyptian mummy say they have found one of the worst cases of dental problems ever seen - an a unique treatment to try and treat it, reports the Daily Mail. Researchers CT scanning a 2,100 year old mummy were stunned to find evidence of a sinus infection caused by a mouthful of cavities and other tooth problems. Medical Daily: Ancient Egyptian

Egyptian toes likely to be the world’s oldest prosthetics

2012-10-02T16:33:00.000+01:00

The results of scientific tests using replicas of two ancient Egyptian artificial toes, including one that was found on the foot of a mummy, suggest that they are likely to be the world’s first prosthetic body parts. The University of Manchester researcher Dr Jacky Finch wanted to find out if a three part wood and leather toe dating from between 950 to 710 BC found on a female mummy buried

Saqqara pyramid in danger as restorations halt over financial woes

2012-10-02T08:47:00.002+01:00

Renovations at Egypt’s oldest pyramid in Saqqara have halted because the Antiquities Ministry has not paid the company implementing the restoration, according to reports in Egypt Independent. Experts have warned that parts of the ancient structure could collapse. The Revolutionary Youth Union has also threatened to file a complaint against the antiquities minister and to submit a memo to

'Cult Fiction' traced to Ancient Egypt priest

2012-10-01T10:58:00.003+01:00

A recently deciphered Egyptian papyrus from around 1,900 years ago tells a fictional story that includes drinking, singing, feasting and ritual sex, all in the name of the goddess Mut, accourding to a report at LiveScience. Researchers believe that a priest wrote the blush-worthy tale, as a way to discuss controversial ritual sex acts with other priests. "Our text may represent a new and

Was Tutankhamen killed by disease which gave him breasts?

2012-09-13T08:36:00.006+01:00

He was revered as a living god, the most famous of a glittering dynasty who ruled over one of the world's greatest civilisations. But a new theory suggests the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun and many of his immediate predecessors suffered from an all too common affliction - the dreaded man boobs. Hutan Ashrafian, a British surgeon, believes it could explain the reason for King Tut's death in his

Could Ancient Egyptians hold the key to 3D printed ceramics?

2012-09-10T10:04:00.003+01:00

A 7,000 year old technique, known as Egyptian Paste (also known as Faience), could offer a potential process and material for use in the latest 3D printing techniques of ceramics, according to researchers at UWE Bristol. Professor Stephen Hoskins Director of UWE’s Centre for Fine Print Research and David Huson, Research Fellow, have received funding from the Arts and Humanities

Germany to celebrate centennial of Nefertiti bust discovery

2012-08-28T08:30:00.003+01:00

On 6 December, Germany will celebrate 100-year anniversary of discovery of iconic bust of Queen Nefertiti, wife of monotheistic pharaoh Akhenaten, Ahram Online reports. Eight years ago, a dispute erupted between Germany and Egypt over ownership of the iconic bust, when then-antiquities minister Zahi Hawass – claiming that Borchardt had illegally obtained the bust in 1912 – asked Germany to

Climate effects on ancient Egypt examined

2012-08-20T08:43:00.001+01:00

Sediments in the Nile Delta record ancient droughts and fires, including a drought 4,200 years ago linked with the end of Egypt's Old Kingdom, scientists say.Ancient pollen and charcoal preserved deep in the sediment reveal the impact of droughts and fires during what is known as the pyramid-building time. See UPI

Cairo airport authorities foil smuggling attempt

2012-08-17T08:51:00.001+01:00

An attempt to smuggle 11 Graeco-Roman artefacts out of Cairo International Airport was foiled on Thursday when the Tourism and Antiquities Police arrested an Egyptian man at the customs section. The man, according to Ahram Online, claimed to be carrying replicas from Khan El-Khalili bazars. The pieces he was carried were reportedly stolen from an as yet unidentified archaeological site in