Unravelling the mystery of the Garrett mummy

In 1911, archaeologists uncovered the mummified remains of a five-year-old girl in Hawara, Egypt.

The unique mummy was wrapped along with a portrait of the girl, yet until now, very little has been known about the child.

Now, 106 years after the mummy was found, researchers have used an innovative X-ray scanning technique that is helping to piece together her story.

The scans have shed light on a number of mysteries, including how her body was prepared 1,900 years ago, what items she was buried with, and the cause of her death.

 

In 1911, archaeologists uncovered the mummified remains of a five-year-old girl in Hawara, Egypt. The unique mummy was wrapped along with a portrait of the girl, yet until now, very little has been known about child

THE GARRETT MUMMY

The mummy was discovered in 1911 by archaeologists in Hawara, Egypt. 

Measuring just over three feet (0.9 metres) long, the little girl’s body was swaddled in linen. 

The outer wrappings were arranged in an intricate geometric pattern of overlapping rhomboids, which served to frame the portrait.

The portrait was painted using beeswax and pigment, and shows a face gazing serenely outwards, with dark hair gathered at the back.

In the painting, the girl is wearing a crimson tunic and gold jewellery. 

The researchers believe that the Garrett mummy came from a high-status family and was entombed in an underground chamber alongside four other mummies. 

Researchers from Northwestern University have been working to unravel some of the mysteries of the mummy girl, known as the Garrett mummy.

As part of the comprehensive investigation, the researchers used an X-ray scattering technique – marking the first time this method has been used on a human mummy.

Professor Stuart Stock, lead author of the study, said: ‘This is a unique experiment, a 3D puzzle.

‘We have some preliminary findings about the various materials, but it will take days before we tighten down the precise answers to our questions.

‘We have confirmed that the shards in the brain cavity are likely solidified pitch, not a crystalline material.’

The Garrett mummy is one of just 100 portrait mummies in the mummies.

These mummies have a lifelike painting of the deceased incorporated into the mummy wrappings and placed directly over the person’s face.

Measuring just over three feet (0.9 metres) long, the little girl’s body was swaddled in linen.

The outer wrappings were arranged in an intricate geometric pattern of overlapping rhomboids, which served to frame the portrait. 

PORTRAIT MUMMIES 

The Garrett mummy is one of just 100 portrait mummies in the mummies.

These mummies have a lifelike painting of the deceased incorporated into the mummy wrappings and placed directly over the person’s face.

The Romans introduced these 2D portraits to Egyptm after almost 3,000 years of idealized 3D images, such as King Tut’s burial.

The portrait was painted using beeswax and pigment, and shows a face gazing outwards, with dark hair gathered at the back.

In the painting, the girl is wearing a crimson tunic and gold jewellery.

The researchers hope that their analysis will shed light on where the Garrett mummy came from, and who she was.

By comparing the Garrett portrait to other mummy portraits, the researchers discovered that it was likely put together in a very unique way, in a different workshop from the others.

Professor Marc Walton, one of the researchers working on the study, said: ‘Intact portrait mummies are exceedingly rare, and to have one here on campus was revelatory for the class and exhibition.’

Researchers from Northwestern University have been working to unravel some of the mysteries of the mummy girl, known as the Garrett mummy

Researchers from Northwestern University have been working to unravel some of the mysteries of the mummy girl, known as the Garrett mummy

Now, 106 years after the mummy was found, researchers have used an innovative X-ray scanning technique that is helping to piece together her story

Now, 106 years after the mummy was found, researchers have used an innovative X-ray scanning technique that is helping to piece together her story

Pictured is the mummy during one of the x-ray scans

The scanning technique allows researchers to see the interior of the mummy without removing the bandages

As part of the comprehensive investigation, the researchers used an X-ray scattering technique – marking the first time this method has been used on a human mummy

The researchers believe that the Garrett mummy came from a high-status family and was entombed in an underground chamber alongside four other mummies.

Professor Walton added: ‘This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our undergraduate students – and for me – to work at understanding the whole object that is this girl mummy.

‘Today’s powerful analytical tools allow us to nondestructively do the archaeology scientists couldn’t do 100 years ago.’

The Garrett mummy is one of just 100 portrait mummies in the mummies. These mummies have a lifelike painting of the deceased incorporated into the mummy wrappings and placed directly over the person's face

The Garrett mummy is one of just 100 portrait mummies in the mummies. These mummies have a lifelike painting of the deceased incorporated into the mummy wrappings and placed directly over the person’s face

The X-ray scan follows a CT scan performed by the researchers in August. That scan gave the researchers a 3D map of the structure of the mummy

The X-ray scan follows a CT scan performed by the researchers in August. That scan gave the researchers a 3D map of the structure of the mummy

Pictured is one of the CT scans of the mummy

The CT scan confirmed that the mummy belonged to a five year old girl

The CT scan, which was performed by the researchers in August this year, allowed them to confirm the girl was five years old when she died 

The x-ray scanning technique uses extremely brilliant high-energy x-rays to probe the materials and objects inside the mummy, while leaving the mummy and her wrappings intact.

Professor Stock said: ‘From a medical research perspective, I am interested in what we can learn about her bone tissue.

‘We also are investigating a scarab-shaped object, her teeth and what look like wires near the mummy’s head and feet.’

Measuring just over three feet (0.9 metres) long, the little girl's body was swaddled in linen. The outer wrappings were arranged in an intricate geometric pattern of overlapping rhomboids, which served to frame the portrait

Measuring just over three feet (0.9 metres) long, the little girl’s body was swaddled in linen. The outer wrappings were arranged in an intricate geometric pattern of overlapping rhomboids, which served to frame the portrait

The X-ray scan follows a CT scan performed by the researchers in August. That scan suggested that the girl was likely to have died of smallpox or malaria

The X-ray scan follows a CT scan performed by the researchers in August. That scan suggested that the girl was likely to have died of smallpox or malaria

The mummified remains were discovered by archaeologists in Hawara, Egypt in 1911. Now, over 100 years later, scanning techniques are unravelling the mystery of the little girl

The mummified remains were discovered by archaeologists in Hawara, Egypt in 1911. Now, over 100 years later, scanning techniques are unravelling the mystery of the little girl

The X-ray scan follows a CT scan performed by the researchers in August.

That scan gave the researchers a 3D map of the structure of the mummy and allowed them to confirm the girl was five years old. 

The scan also revealed that the girl’s body had no obvious signs of trauma, suggesting that she was likely to have died from a disease. 

Speaking to the Chicago Tribune, Dr Taco Terpstra, one of the researchers working on the study, said the three most likely culprits would have been malaria, tuberculosis and smallpox.

The x-ray scanning technique uses extremely brilliant high-energy synchrotron x-rays to probe the materials and objects inside the mummy, while leaving the mummy and her wrappings intact

The x-ray scanning technique uses extremely brilliant high-energy synchrotron x-rays to probe the materials and objects inside the mummy, while leaving the mummy and her wrappings intact

Professor Walton added: 'We're basically able to go back to an excavation that happened more than 100 years ago and reconstruct it with our contemporary analysis techniques'

Professor Walton added: ‘We’re basically able to go back to an excavation that happened more than 100 years ago and reconstruct it with our contemporary analysis techniques’

Professor Walton added: ‘We’re basically able to go back to an excavation that happened more than 100 years ago and reconstruct it with our contemporary analysis techniques.

‘All the information we find will help us enrich the entire historic context of this young girl mummy and the Roman period in Egypt.’

 



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