CT Scans Reveal Secrets of 3,000-Year-Old ‘Locked Mummy’ of Egyptian Aristocrat
A recent CT scan study has unlocked details about a 3,000-year-old Egyptian mummy known as Lady Chenet-aa, a high-status woman from ancient Egypt, whose unique burial method had puzzled experts for years. This mummy, stored at Chicago’s Field Museum, had been wrapped in an unusual paper-mâché-like coffin called cartonnage, seemingly sealed without any visible entry points.
The recent scans revealed that after preparing her body, Egyptian embalmers softened the cartonnage with humidity, slit it along the back, and carefully lowered her mummified remains inside before sealing the slit with a seam and securing it with a wooden peg at the feet. This method explains the “locked” appearance that had mystified archaeologists.
The scans also highlighted fascinating details about Chenet-aa’s life and afterlife preparations. She was in her 30s or 40s at her death and had lost several teeth, likely due to the abrasive nature of ancient Egyptian food containing gritty sand. To ensure her vision in the afterlife, her eyes were supplemented with artificial replacements, a practice in line with ancient Egyptian beliefs in a physical afterlife.
This discovery is a remarkable example of how modern technology, like CT scans, can reveal intricate details about ancient burial practices and beliefs, shedding light on the Egyptian approach to death and the afterlife preparation rituals for the elite
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