The mystery of the "screaming" mummy is revealed (6 photos)

The "screaming" mummy was discovered in 1935 under the tomb of the architect Senmut, who died in 1464 BC. The wooden coffin contained the mummified body of a woman in a black wig and with two scarab rings made of silver and gold, but what struck the archaeologists most was the expression on her face.





The mouth of the deceased seemed frozen in a scream, so she was nicknamed the "screaming woman".

Researchers have used cutting-edge scientific methods to study the mummy and learn details about her life and death.



The woman was missing several teeth (she probably lost them before her death), and her height was about 1.54 m. According to CT scans, she was about 48 years old at the time of her death and suffered from arthritis.



The embalming materials used were juniper and frankincense, expensive materials that had to be imported to Egypt. Since the substances were rare and valuable, it is unlikely that the mummification process was done poorly.

Professor Sahar Salim of Cairo University said: "The screaming expression on the face could have been caused by a cadaveric spasm, which implies that the woman died in agony and pain."



Corpse spasm is a rare form of muscle rigidity that usually occurs during violent death, in extreme conditions and with strong emotions.

However, experts were unable to establish the exact cause of death.



The mummy's brain, diaphragm, heart, lungs, liver, spleen, kidneys and intestines were preserved inside. This came as a surprise, since the classic method of embalming in the New Kingdom (550-1069 BCE) involved removing all of these organs except the heart.