Multidisciplinary investigation of two Egyptian child mummies curated at the University of Tartu Art Museum, Estonia (Late/Graeco-Roman Periods)

PLoS One. 2020 Jan 16;15(1):e0227446. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227446. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Two ancient Egyptian child mummies at the University of Tartu Art Museum (Estonia) were, according to museum records, brought to Estonia by the young Baltic-German scholar Otto Friedrich von Richter, who had travelled in Egypt during the early 19th century. Although some studies of the mummies were conducted, a thorough investigation has never been made. Thus, an interdisciplinary team of experts studied the remains using the most recent analytical methods in order to provide an exhaustive analysis of the remains. The bodies were submitted for osteological and archaeothanatological study, radiological investigation, AMS radiocarbon dating, chemical and textile analyses, 3D modelling, entomological as well as aDNA investigation. Here we synthesize the results of one of the most extensive multidisciplinary analyses of ancient Egyptian child mummies, adding significantly to our knowledge of such examples of ancient funerary practices.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Egypt
  • Egypt, Ancient
  • Estonia
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mummies*
  • Museums

Grants and funding

JA: University of Tartu rectorate funds; EO, MT, RR, MM, RS: IUT20-7; Estonian Research Council Institutional Research Funding Scheme; https://www.etag.ee/; KT, LS: PUT1217; Estonian Research Council Personal Research Funding Scheme; www.etag.ee; SV, ATO, PP: PUT1521; Estonian Research Council Personal Research Funding Scheme; https://www.etag.ee/; EO: MOBERC14; Estonian Research Council Mobilitas Pluss Support for applying for an ERC grant; https://www.etag.ee/; DPM: Estophilus scholarship no. 36.10-3/338; Archimedes Foundation; http://archimedes.ee/; EO: PSG492; Estonian Research Council Personal Research Funding Scheme; https://www.etag.ee/.