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Herrerín J, Sánchez M, Isidro A. A gastric sarcoma from 3000 years ago: paleopathological diagnosis at the field. Clin Transl Oncol 2024; 26:1187-1191. [PMID: 37978144 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-023-03341-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Ancient remains tell a lot to those who can solve their mysteries. Mummified remains of individuals have the potential to tell their life stories. Pathological conditions in mummies are identified, commonly, thorough macroscopic inspection and radiological techniques. PATIENTS AND METHODS In 2017, a hypogeum tomb was excavated close to the courtyard of Djehuty's tomb (TT11) at the archaeological site of the Spanish Djehuty Project in Luxor (Egypt). In Sector 10, a set of at least 10 mummies were recovered. All showed clear signs of plundering and were found scattered at the site. Wrappings and associated goods indicated that the individuals were from the first half of the 20th dynasty (922 to 888 BCE). RESULTS All the individuals were male and from a high social status. Upon removing the individuals for study, two dried stomachs were found. There were clear macroscopic differences. A field histological analysis was performed which revealed that the stomach that showed no alterations, at first glance, presented a pathological pattern that was compatible with gastric sarcoma. CONCLUSIONS Malignant diseases are seldom described in Paleopathology; to our knowledge, this is the oldest and most unique case of this type of pathology in mummies worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Herrerín
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Darwin, 2, 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel Sánchez
- Department of Pathology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, 350 Engle St Dean Bldg LL1, Englewood, NJ, 07631, USA
| | - Albert Isidro
- Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery Department, Hospital Universitari Sagrat Cor, Grupo Quironsalud, Viladomat 288, 08029, Barcelona, Spain.
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Panzer S, Zesch S, Rosendahl W, Thompson RC, Zink AR. Postmortem changes in ancient Egyptian child mummies: Possible pitfalls on CT images. Int J Paleopathol 2023; 42:46-54. [PMID: 37544242 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2023.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To identify and interpret computed tomography (CT) findings of postmortem changes in ancient Egyptian child mummies. MATERIALS Whole-body CT examinations of 21 ancient Egyptian child mummies from German (n = 18), Italian (n = 1), and Swiss museums (n = 2). METHODS Conspicuous CT findings from prior evaluations with various research questions that were assessed as postmortem changes were classified, and special cases were illustrated and discussed. RESULTS Postmortem changes were classified into several categories. From these, individuals with evidence of invasion of resin/oil/tar into bone, dried fluid-levels within bone most likely due to natron, probable interaction of natron with soft tissues and bone, as well as insect infestation were demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS One challenge of paleoradiology is to differentiate between intravital and postmortem changes, which can be multifarious. These changes can be obvious, but also subtle, and can mimic diseases. SIGNIFICANCE The provided classification of postmortem changes, as well as the demonstrated cases, may serve as models for further paleoradiological investigations. The dried intraosseous fluid levels in two mummies, most likely due to natron, suggests that these children were immersed in a liquid natron bath, in contrast to the current scientific view that natron for mummification was routinely applied in the solid form. LIMITATIONS CT was used as the only examination method, as sampling of the mummies was not possible. SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH The awareness that postmortem changes on CT images of ancient Egyptian mummies might mimic pathology should be raised to reduce or avoid incorrect interpretation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Panzer
- Department of Radiology, Berufsgenossenschaftliche Unfallklinik Murnau, Prof-Küntscher-Straße 8, D-82418 Murnau, Germany; Institute of Biomechanics, Berufsgenossenschaftliche Unfallklinik Murnau and Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria, Prof-Küntscher-Straße 8 D-82418 Murnau, Germany.
| | - Stephanie Zesch
- German Mummy Project, Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen, Museum Weltkulturen D5, D-68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Wilfried Rosendahl
- German Mummy Project, Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen, Museum Weltkulturen D5, D-68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Randall C Thompson
- Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute, University of Missouri-Kansas City, 4330 Wornall Road, Kansas City, MO 64111, USA
| | - Albert R Zink
- Institute for Mummy Studies, Eurac Research, Viale Druso 1, I-39100 Bolzano, Italy
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Bianucci R, Galassi FM, Donell ST, Nerlich AG. Goitre in a Fayum mummy portrait from Roman Egypt (120-140 CE). J Endocrinol Invest 2023; 46:1041-1042. [PMID: 36217072 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-022-01934-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/01/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- R Bianucci
- Dipartimento di Culture e Società, Università di Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
- The Ronin Institute, Montclair, NJ, USA.
| | - F M Galassi
- Archaeology, College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - S T Donell
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - A G Nerlich
- Institute of Pathology, Academic Clinic Bogenhausen, Munich, Germany
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Guimarey Duarte R, Rubio Salvador Á, Alemán Aguilera I, Botella López MC. Two cases of pelvic trauma with survival in the necropolis of Qubbet el-Hawa (Egypt). Int J Paleopathol 2023; 40:56-62. [PMID: 36543051 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2022.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the presence of a trauma that results in pelvic ring disruption and its clinical implications in two individuals from ancient Egypt. MATERIALS Two complete skeletons of adult women, dated to the Middle Kingdom (c. 1980-1760 BCE), from two tombs in the necropolis of Qubbet el-Hawa (Aswan, Egypt). METHODS The anatomical elements were examined macroscopically in Egypt. RESULTS Unilateral sacroiliac luxation with disruption of the pubic symphysis was detected in both individuals. The presence of an overlapped symphysis was evident in female QH34aa. A healed fracture of the iliopubic ramus are present in female QH122. Antemortem bone alterations in the pelvis demonstrate that they survived the trauma. CONCLUSIONS Pelvic trauma due to a lateral compression was detected in the os coxae. Both women survived but probably had severe sequelae that impaired their quality of life. At least one of them might have received some type of medical treatment. SIGNIFICANCE Both cases shed light on pelvic fractures, their mechanisms of production, and their effects on bone and its functionality, as well as revealing possible associated lesions of soft tissues and vital organs. LIMITATIONS The pelvis, or at least the pubic symphysis, must be well preserved to allow the correct diagnosis of this type of lesion. SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH Studies are warranted on the detection of this type of fracture, focusing on the subtle bone changes that indicate its presence. There is also a need to develop methodologies that combine the study of bone and soft tissue alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosario Guimarey Duarte
- Laboratory of Anthropology, Department of Legal Medicine, Toxicology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Av. de la Investigación 11, 18016 Granada, Spain.
| | - Ángel Rubio Salvador
- Laboratory of Anthropology, Department of Legal Medicine, Toxicology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Av. de la Investigación 11, 18016 Granada, Spain; Department of Anthropology, Geography and History, Faculty of Humanities and Educational Sciences, University of Jaén, Campus de las Lagunillas s/n, 23071 Jaén, Spain
| | - Inmaculada Alemán Aguilera
- Laboratory of Anthropology, Department of Legal Medicine, Toxicology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Av. de la Investigación 11, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Miguel C Botella López
- Laboratory of Anthropology, Department of Legal Medicine, Toxicology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Av. de la Investigación 11, 18016 Granada, Spain
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Rayo E, Neukamm J, Tomoum N, Eppenberger P, Breidenstein A, Bouwman AS, Schuenemann VJ, Rühli FJ. Metagenomic analysis of Ancient Egyptian canopic jars. Am J Biol Anthropol 2022; 179:307-313. [PMID: 36790695 PMCID: PMC9804471 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Ancient Egyptian remains have been of interest for anthropological research for decades. Despite many investigations, the ritual vessels for the internal organs removed during body preparation-liver, lungs, stomach, and intestines, of Egyptian mummies are rarely used for palaeopathological or medical investigations. These artifacts, commonly referred to as canopic jars, are the perfect combination of cultural and biological material and present an untapped resource for both Egyptological and medical fields. Nevertheless, technical challenges associated with this archeological material have prevented the application of current ancient DNA techniques for both the characterization of human and pathogenic DNA. We present shotgun-sequenced metagenomic profiles and ancient DNA degradation patterns from multiple canopic jars sampled from several European museum collections and enumerate current limitations and possible solutions for the future analysis of similar material. This is the first-ever recorded evidence of ancient human DNA found in Ancient Egyptian canopic jars and the first associated metagenomic description of bacterial taxa in these funerary artifacts. OBJECTIVES In this study, our objectives were to characterize the metagenomic profile of the Ancient Egyptian funerary vessels known as canopic jars to retrieve endogenous ancient human DNA, reconstruct ancient microbial communities, and identify possible pathogens that could shed light on disease states of individuals from the past. METHODS We applied ancient DNA techniques on 140 canopic jars to extract DNA and generate whole-genome sequencing libraries for the analysis of both human and bacterial DNA. The samples were obtained from museum collections in Berlin (DE), Burgdorf (DE), Leiden (NE), Manchester (UK), Munich (DE), St. Gallen (CH), Turin (IT), and Zagreb (HR). RESULTS Here we describe the first isolated DNA from the Egyptian artifacts that hold human viscera. No previous work was ever conducted on such material, which led to the first characterization of human DNA from Ancient Egyptian canopic jars and the profiling of the complex bacterial composition of this highly degraded, challenging, organic material. However, the DNA recovered was not of enough quality to confidently characterize bacterial taxa associated with infectious diseases, nor exclusive bacterial members of the human microbiome. DISCUSSION In summary, we present the first genomic survey of the visceral content of Ancient Egyptian funerary artifacts and demonstrate the limitations of current molecular methods to analyze canopic jars, such as the incomplete history of the objects or the presence of uncharacterized compounds that can hamper the recovery of DNA. Our work highlights the main challenges and caveats when working with such complicated archeological material - and offers sampling recommendations for similarly complex future studies, such as incrementing the amount of starting material and sampling from the less exposed parts of the jar content. This is the first-ever recorded evidence of ancient human DNA found in Ancient Egyptian canopic jars, and our results open new avenues in the study of neglected archeological artifacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrique Rayo
- Institute of Evolutionary MedicineUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Judith Neukamm
- Institute of Evolutionary MedicineUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Nadja Tomoum
- Institute of Evolutionary MedicineUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | | | | | | | | | - Frank J. Rühli
- Institute of Evolutionary MedicineUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
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Ali Z, El-Mallakh RS. Suicidal Depression in Ancient Egypt. Arch Suicide Res 2022; 26:1607-1623. [PMID: 33502962 DOI: 10.1080/13811118.2021.1878079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the oldest record of a depressed individual contemplating suicide. METHOD A directed review of ancient Egyptology literature of translations and discussion regarding a papyrus that is approximately 4,000 years old. RESULTS The content of the document is consistent with a man going through a severe depression and is contemplating suicide. However, this does not appear to be a suicide note, but more of an ancient example of 'journaling' or working through the thoughts of suicide and its possible consequences to the man's eternal life in the afterworld. CONCLUSIONS Presentation of depression, the reasons for considering suicide, and the process by which an individual works through those thoughts have not varied significantly over the past 4,000 years.
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Isidro A, Diez-Santacoloma I, Loscos S, Seiler R. Congenital kyphosis due to a body agenesis from Ancient Egypt. Spine Deform 2022; 10:197-199. [PMID: 34499331 DOI: 10.1007/s43390-021-00391-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
In Paleopathology, total lack of a vertebral body is a rare finding, mostly due to infectious diseases or tumors. We report the case of an adult male from the necropolis next to "Temple of the Millions of Years" of Thutmose III dated to the Late Old Kingdom and First Intermediate Period (2345-2055 BCE). He showed a fracture of T12, more than 50%, associated with the complete disappearance of the body of L1 and bilateral transverse process. Infection and tumor involvement were ruled out due to the morphology of the spinal segment. The most likely diagnosis was complete body agenesis. Congenital kyphosis related to vertebral agenesis has been described as a possibility in paleopathology, but it had not been reported until now.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert Isidro
- Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery Department, Hospital Universitari Sagrat Cor, Viladomat 288, 08029, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Ivan Diez-Santacoloma
- Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery Department, Hospital Universitari Sagrat Cor, Viladomat 288, 08029, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sergio Loscos
- Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery Department, Hospital Universitari Sagrat Cor, Viladomat 288, 08029, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Roger Seiler
- Paleopathology and Mummy Studies Group, Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
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8
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Gold M. Ancient Egypt and the geological antiquity of man, 1847-1863. Hist Sci 2019; 57:194-230. [PMID: 30270663 DOI: 10.1177/0073275318795944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The 1850s through early 60s was a transformative period for nascent studies of the remote human past in Britain, across many disciplines. Naturalists and scholars with Egyptological knowledge fashioned themselves as authorities to contend with this divisive topic. In a characteristic case of long-distance fieldwork, British geologist Leonard Horner employed Turkish-born, English-educated, Cairo-based engineer Joseph Hekekyan to measure Nile silt deposits around pharaonic monuments in Egypt to address the chronological gap between the earliest historical and latest geological time. Their conclusion in 1858 that humans had existed in Egypt for exactly 13,371 years was the earliest attempt to apply geological stratigraphy to absolute human dates. The geochronology was particularly threatening to biblical orthodoxy, and the work raised private and public concerns about chronological expertise and methodology, scriptural and scientific authority, and the credibility of Egyptian informants. This essay traces these geo-archaeological investigations; including the movement of paper records, Hekekyan's role as a go-between, and the publication's reception in Britain. The diverse reactions to the Egyptian research reveal competing ways of knowing the prehistoric past and highlights mid-Victorian attempts to reshape the porous boundaries between scholarly studies of human antiquity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meira Gold
- Department of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Cambridge, UK
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9
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Seiler R, Öhrström LM, Eppenberger P, Gascho D, Rühli FJ, Galassi FM. The earliest known case of frontal sinus osteoma in man. Clin Anat 2019; 32:105-109. [PMID: 30324624 DOI: 10.1002/ca.23301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2018] [Revised: 09/30/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Frontal sinus osteoma is a relatively common finding in the modern clinical setting. Although, its paleopathological record is not in dispute, its presence in Ancient Egypt has never been clarified. The aim of this article is to contribute to the debate. An Egyptian mummy head from the Musée d'Éthnographie de Neuchâtel (Switzerland) was studied radiologically and the obtained evidence was contextualized in the wider frame of multidisciplinary paleopathology. A 128-slice CT scanner was used for further investigation; datasets were processed with OsiriX-64 bit (version 5.8.5), and multiplanar (MPR) and volumetric reconstructions were performed. A small hyperdense and well-defined structure, most likely an osteoma, was identified in the right frontal sinus. Frontal sinus osteoma definitely existed in Ancient Egypt. Finally, this represents the oldest case in anatomically modern humans so far reported. Clin. Anat.32:105-109, 2019. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger Seiler
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Lena M Öhrström
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Patrick Eppenberger
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Dominic Gascho
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Frank J Rühli
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Francesco M Galassi
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
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10
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Seiler R, Habicht ME, Rühli FJ, Galassi FM. First-time complete visualization of a preserved meningeal artery in the mummy of Nakht-ta-Netjeret (ca. 950 BC). Neurol Sci 2018; 40:409-411. [PMID: 30215156 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-018-3565-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 09/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The preservation of the meningeal artery in ancient mummified bodies, particularly in anthropogenic Egyptian mummies, is a highly controversial topic in neuroscience and anthropological research. A recent (2015) debate between Wade and Isidro, based on the interpretation of the meningeal grooves and cast in a skull from the necropolis of Kom al-Ahmar Sharuna (Egypt), highlighted both the necessity of having clear radiological descriptions of this anatomical structure and of assessing large collections of mummified crania. Here, we present for the first time an instance of extremely well-preserved middle meningeal artery in the mummy of the ancient Egyptian dignitary Nakht-ta-Netjeret (ca. 950 BC), still inside the meninx, using paleo-radiological techniques. We finally link this find with experimental data from the neurological literature on the methodology of excerebration implemented by ancient Egyptian embalmers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger Seiler
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael E Habicht
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Frank J Rühli
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Francesco M Galassi
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.
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Khalil R, Moustafa AA, Moftah MZ, Karim AA. How Knowledge of Ancient Egyptian Women Can Influence Today's Gender Role: Does History Matter in Gender Psychology? Front Psychol 2017; 7:2053. [PMID: 28105022 PMCID: PMC5215293 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.02053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A gender role is a set of societal norms dictating what types of behaviors are considered desirable or appropriate for a person based on their sex. However, socially constructed gender roles can lead to equal rights between genders but also to severe disadvantages and discrimination with a remarkable variety between different countries. Based on social indicators and gender statistics, "women in the Arab region are on average more disadvantaged economically, politically, and socially than women in other regions." According to Banduras' social learning theory, we argue that profound knowledge of the historical contributions of Ancient Egyptian female pioneers in science, arts, and even in ruling Egypt as Pharaohs can improve today's gender role in Egypt and Middle Eastern countries. Therefore, this article provides an elaborate review of the gender role of women in Ancient Egypt, outlining their prominence, influence, and admiration in ancient societies, and discusses the possible psychological impact of this knowledge on today's gender role. We suggest that future empirical research should investigate how enhancing the knowledge of women from Ancient Egypt can improve today's gender role in Egypt and the Middle East. Bandura's social learning theory is outlined as a possible framework for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radwa Khalil
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Ahmed A Moustafa
- School of Social Science and Psychology, Marcs Institute for Brain and Behaviour, Western Sydney University Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Marie Z Moftah
- Department of Zoology, Neuroplasticity and Pain, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Ahmed A Karim
- Department of Prevention, Health Psychology and Neurorehabilitation, SRH Mobile UniversityRiedlingen, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of TübingenTübingen, Germany
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12
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Zesch S, Panzer S, Rosendahl W, Nance JW, Schönberg SO, Henzler T. From first to latest imaging technology: Revisiting the first mummy investigated with X-ray in 1896 by using dual-source computed tomography. Eur J Radiol Open 2016; 3:172-81. [PMID: 27504475 PMCID: PMC4968187 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejro.2016.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2016] [Accepted: 07/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose The aim of this study was to systematically reinvestigate the first human mummy that was ever analyzed with X-ray imaging in 1896, using dual-source computed tomography (DSCT) in order to compare the earliest and latest imaging technologies, to estimate preservation, age at death, sex, anatomical variants, paleopathological findings, mummification, embalming and wrapping of the child mummy from ancient Egypt. Radiocarbon dating was used to determine the mummy’s age and to specify the child’s living period in the Egyptian chronology. Material and methods The ancient Egyptian child mummy is kept in the Senckenberg Museum of Natural History in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. An accelerator mass spectrometer (MICADAS) was used for radiocarbon dating. DSCT was performed using a 2 × 64 slice dual-source CT system (Siemens Healthineers, Forchheim, Germany). A thorough visual examination of the mummy, a systematic radiological evaluation of the DICOM datasets, and established methods in physical anthropology were applied to assess the bio-anthropological data and the post mortem treatment of the body. Results Radiocarbon dating yielded a calibrated age between 378 and 235 cal BC (95.4% confidence interval), corresponding with the beginning of the Ptolemaic period. The mummy was a male who was four to five years old at the time of death. Remnants of the brain and inner organs were preserved by the embalmers, which is regularly observed in ancient Egyptian child mummies. Skin tissue, inner organs, tendons and/or musculature, cartilage, nerves and vasculature could be identified on the DSCT dataset. The dental health of the child was excellent. Anatomical variants and pathological defects included a congenital Pectus excavatum deformity, hepatomegaly, Harris lines, and longitudinal clefts in the ventral cortices of both femora. Conclusion Our results highlight the enormous progress achieved form earliest to latest imaging technology for advanced mummy research using the first human mummy investigated with X-ray. With the application of DSCT, detailed knowledge regarding age at death, sex, diseases, death, and mummification of a child from Ptolemaic Egypt are revealed while considering the temporary rites of body treatment and burial for children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Zesch
- Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen, Museum Weltkulturen D5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
- Corresponding author.
| | - Stephanie Panzer
- Department of Radiology, Trauma Center Murnau, Prof.-Kuentscher-Strasse 8, 82418 Murnau, Germany
- Institute of Biomechanics, Trauma Center Murnau and Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Prof.-Kuentscher-Strasse 8, 82418 Murnau, Germany
| | | | - John W. Nance
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Stefan O. Schönberg
- Institute of Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim—Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Thomas Henzler
- Institute of Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim—Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
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13
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Kwiecinski J. Pectus excavatum in mummies from ancient Egypt. Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg 2016; 23:993-995. [PMID: 27481681 DOI: 10.1093/icvts/ivw249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Revised: 06/21/2016] [Accepted: 06/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Pectus excavatum is one of the common congenital anomalies, yet there seems to be a suspicious absence of any cases or descriptions of this deformity from antiquity. This could represent a real change in disease prevalence but is more likely just due to an inadequate reporting in medico-historical literature. The current study reviews reports of computed tomography (CT) scans of 217 ancient Egyptian mummies, revealing 3 presumed cases of this deformity. Therefore, pectus excavatum was in fact present already in ancient times, with prevalence roughly similar to the modern one.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Kwiecinski
- Department of Microbiology, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
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Galassi FM, Böni T, Rühli FJ, Habicht ME. Fight-or-flight Response in the ancient Egyptian novel "Sinuhe" (c. 1800 BCE). Auton Neurosci 2016; 195:27-8. [PMID: 26897482 DOI: 10.1016/j.autneu.2016.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2015] [Revised: 01/12/2016] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Francesco M Galassi
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Thomas Böni
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Frank J Rühli
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael E Habicht
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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Driaux D. Water supply of ancient Egyptian settlements: the role of the state. Overview of a relatively equitable scheme from the Old to New Kingdom (ca. 2543-1077 BC). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 8:43-58. [PMID: 27069527 PMCID: PMC4811298 DOI: 10.1007/s12685-015-0150-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2014] [Accepted: 12/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The study of the textual and archaeological evidence shows that the water supply of the settlements of ancient Egypt seems to have worked on a simple and a relatively equitable scheme, at least from the Old Kingdom until the New Kingdom (ca. 2543–1077). The water supply of the inhabitants was completely managed by the state, through the local administration which was charged to bring the water, in general from a rural area, into towns and cities and to redistribute it to the inhabitants. The method of supply is illustrated by several sources of evidence, in particular by the well known case of the “water-carriers” of the village of Deir el-Medina. Thus, drawing together text and archaeology, this paper will demonstrate that over an extended period, even when the city was far from a water source, the state did not set up complex installations such as pipe networks or wells to bring water, but preferred a simpler system using the manpower available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delphine Driaux
- McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England UK ; UMR 8167, Orient et Méditerrannée (Équipe Mondes Pharaoniques), Université Paris-Sorbonne (Paris IV), 1 rue Victor Cousin, 75230 Paris Cedex 05, France
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16
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Ponti G, Pellacani G, Tomasi A, Sammaria G, Manfredini M. Skeletal stigmata as keys to access to the composite and ancient Gorlin-Goltz syndrome history: The Egypt, Pompeii and Herculaneum lessons. Gene 2016; 589:104-11. [PMID: 26794802 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2016.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2015] [Revised: 01/05/2016] [Accepted: 01/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
There are several genetic diseases with a wide spectrum of congenital bone stigmata in association to cutaneous and visceral benign and malignant neoplasms. Gorlin-Goltz syndrome, also named nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome, is an autosomal dominant systemic disease with almost complete penetrance and high intra-familial phenotypic variability, caused by germline mutations of the gene PTCH1. The syndrome is characterized by unusual skeletal changes and high predisposition to the development of multiple basal cell carcinomas, odontogenic keratocysts tumors and other visceral tumors. The Gorlin syndrome, clinically defined as distinct syndrome in 1963, existed during Dynastic Egyptian times, as revealed by a costellation of skeletal findings compatible with the syndrome in mummies dating back to 3000years ago and, most likely, in the ancient population of Pompeii. These paleogenetic and historical evidences, together with the clinical and biomolecular modern evidences, confirm the quite benign behavior of the syndrome and the critical value of the multiple and synchronous skeletal anomalies in the recognition of these rare and complex genetic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Ponti
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Dental and Morphological Sciences with Interest transplant, Oncological and Regenerative Medicine, Dermatology Unit, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy.
| | - Giovanni Pellacani
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Dental and Morphological Sciences with Interest transplant, Oncological and Regenerative Medicine, Dermatology Unit, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Aldo Tomasi
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine, Clinical and Public Health, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Giuliano Sammaria
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Dental and Morphological Sciences with Interest transplant, Oncological and Regenerative Medicine, Dermatology Unit, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Marco Manfredini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Dental and Morphological Sciences with Interest transplant, Oncological and Regenerative Medicine, Dermatology Unit, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy
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Abstract
Antiquity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remains controversial, and its origins in Americas or in the Old World are disputed. Proponents of the latter frequently refer to RA in ancient Egypt, but validity of those claims has never been examined. Review of all reported RA cases from ancient Egypt revealed that none of them represent real RA, instead being either examples of changing naming conventions or of imprecise diagnostic criteria. Most cases represented osteoarthritis or spondyloarthropathies. Also review of preserved ancient Egyptian medical writings revealed many descriptions of musculoskeletal disorders, but none of them resembled RA. This suggests that RA was absent in ancient Egypt and supports the hypothesis of the New World origin of RA and its subsequent global spread in the last several centuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Kwiecinski
- Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Box 480, 405-30, Gothenburg, Sweden. .,Department of Microbiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Bruce M Rothschild
- Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.,Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH, USA
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18
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Smith-Guzmán NE. Cribra orbitalia in the ancient Nile Valley and its connection to malaria. Int J Paleopathol 2015; 10:1-12. [PMID: 29539534 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2015.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2014] [Revised: 03/04/2015] [Accepted: 03/11/2015] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Cribra orbitalia is a common skeletal lesion found on ancient human remains excavated from the Nile Valley. Recent etiological research implicates hemolytic anemia as a main factor leading to the formation of cribra orbitalia. Further, an association between the hemolytic anemia caused by malaria and cribra orbitalia has been demonstrated. The presence of malaria in the ancient Nile Valley has been verified directly through genetic and immunologic studies of Egyptian mummies, but its prevalence and spread remain unknown. As some models have pointed to the Nile Valley as the pathway of malarial dispersion during the Egyptian Dynastic period, variability in cribra orbitalia rates should provide a way to track the disease spread. This study surveyed cribra orbitalia frequencies at 29 ancient Nile Valley sites, representing 4760 individuals ranging from prehistoric to Christian periods and situated between the 3rd Cataract and Nile Delta. Results showed high cribra orbitalia rates, with an overall mean of 42.8% of the total population affected. Over time and space, the data showed no significant correlation, suggesting high levels of anemia affected individuals in the Nile Valley equally from late pre-dynastic to Christian periods. These findings suggest widespread endemic malaria in the Nile Valley before Dynastic Egypt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole E Smith-Guzmán
- Department of Anthropology, University of Arkansas, 330 Old Main, Fayetteville, AR 72701, United States.
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Bialas AJ, Kaczmarski J, Kozak J, Kempinska-Miroslawska B. Pectus excavatum in relief from Ancient Egypt (dating back to circa 2400 BC). Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg 2015; 20:556-7. [PMID: 25564580 DOI: 10.1093/icvts/ivu440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pectus excavatum is one of the most common congenital deformities of the chest wall. The aim of the study was to analyse 621 artefacts (reliefs, sculptures, paintings) from Ancient Egypt in terms of anatomical defects of the chest. The team which analysed artefacts consisted of historians of medicine and thoracic surgeons. The researchers found a relief, depicting a man with an abnormal shape of the chest. The relief was from Niankhkhnum and Khnumhotep mastaba and dates back to circa 2400 BC. The authors think it is possible that the relief may represent a pectus excavatum deformity and believe the image will open up debate on the occurrence of this deformity in ancient times.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam J Bialas
- Teaching Department of Thoracic Surgery and Respiratory Rehabilitation, Copernicus Memorial Hospital, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Jacek Kaczmarski
- Teaching Department of Thoracic Surgery and Respiratory Rehabilitation, Copernicus Memorial Hospital, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Jozef Kozak
- Teaching Department of Thoracic Surgery and Respiratory Rehabilitation, Copernicus Memorial Hospital, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION Medicine and literature have been linked from ancient times; proof of this shown by the many doctors who have made contributions to literature and the many writers who have described medical activities and illnesses in their works. An example is The Egyptian, the book by Mika Waltari that provides a masterly narration of the protagonist's medical activity and describes the trepanation technique. DEVELOPMENT The present work begins with the analysis of trepanations since prehistory and illustrates the practice of the trepanation in The Egyptian. The book mentions trepanation frequently and illustrates how to practice it and which instruments are required to perform it. Trepanation is one of the oldest surgical interventions carried out as treatment for cranial trauma and neurological diseases, but it also had the magical and religious purpose of expelling the evil spirits which caused the mental illness, epilepsy, or migraine symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Trepanation is a surgical practice that has been carried out since prehistory to treat post-traumatic epilepsy, migraine, and psychiatric illness. The Egyptian is a book that illustrates the trepan, the trepanation technique, and the required set of instruments in full detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Collado-Vázquez
- Departamento de Fisioterapia, Terapia Ocupacional, Rehabilitación y Medicina Física, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Madrid, España.
| | - J M Carrillo
- Departamento de Personalidad, Evaluación y Psicología Clínica, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, España
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