Mystery behind ‘screaming’ mummy may finally be solved

*EMBARGOED UNTIL 05.15 BST, FRIDAY AUGUST 2 (00.15 ET)* The Screaming Woman mummy. Photo released August 1 2024.A mummy known as the 'Screaming Woman' may have died in agony 3,500 years ago, suggests new research.The Egyptian woman was embalmed with expensive imported ingredients - suggesting her expression was caused by pain rather than poor embalming, say scientists.In Deir Elbahari near Luxor, the site of ancient Thebes, In 1935, an archaeological expedition excavated the tomb of Senmut, the architect and overseer of royal works ? and reputedly, lover ? of the famed queen Hatschepsut. Beneath Senmut's tomb, they found a separate burial chamber for his mother Hat-Nufer and other, unidentified relatives. — The mystery behind a mummy known as the ‘Screaming Woman’ may finally be solved (Picture: Sahar Saleem/SWNS)

The 3,500-year-old woman was found open mouthed in a burial chamber during excavations in Egypt in 1935.

Previous theories have thought embalmers simply forgot to close her mouth, but scientists now believe her expression was fixed in place by a rare muscle reaction.

Cadaveric spasms cause sudden muscle stiffen which is often associated with violent deaths, researchers reported in Frontiers in Medicine.

Her cause of death still remains unknown, meaning the spasms cannot be completely confirmed for the reason for her alarming look just yet.

CT scans also found the woman’s organs had not been removed, despite Egyptian embalmers always taking them out.

Imported juniper resin and frankincense had kept the body well-preserved, radiologist Sahar Saleem of Cairo University and anthropologist Samia El-Merghani found.

*EMBARGOED UNTIL 05.15 BST, FRIDAY AUGUST 2 (00.15 ET)* The Screaming Woman in the CT scan. Photo released August 1 2024.A mummy known as the 'Screaming Woman' may have died in agony 3,500 years ago, suggests new research.The Egyptian woman was embalmed with expensive imported ingredients - suggesting her expression was caused by pain rather than poor embalming, say scientists.In Deir Elbahari near Luxor, the site of ancient Thebes, In 1935, an archaeological expedition excavated the tomb of Senmut, the architect and overseer of royal works ? and reputedly, lover ? of the famed queen Hatschepsut. Beneath Senmut's tomb, they found a separate burial chamber for his mother Hat-Nufer and other, unidentified relatives. — The Screaming Woman in the CT scan (Picture: Sahar Saleem/SWNS)

She wore a braided wig made from palm fibers which were dyed black with a mineral treatment.

This colouring represented youth to ancient Egyptians, Saleem says.

The unnamed woman’s mummy was found inside a burial chamber for relative of Senmut, who was an architect during Queen Hatschepsut’s reign from 1479 B.C. to 1458 B.C.

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