Scientists reconstruct face of first pregnant mummy discovered in Egypt

A group of scientists used computing techniques to reconstruct the face of what is said to be the first pregnant Egyptian mummy discovered in the world. The body of the woman, named “Mysterious Lady”, was found in 1826 and taken from Egypt to Poland years later.

Researchers studied the skull and other remains to try to reveal what she looked like while she was alive, around 2,000 years ago. Two virtual images were produced, using 2D and 3D techniques.

Found during excavations in Luxor, in southern Egypt, the mummy was wrapped in a fabric and next to amulets – the objects, according to the Egyptians, accompanied them after death.

“The bones and the skull provide a lot of information about an individual’s face,” said Italian forensic anthropologist Chantal Milani, a member of the Mummy of Warsaw project responsible for the “Mysterious Lady”. “The skull is unique and shows a set of shapes and proportions that will appear on the face when finished, although the portrait cannot be considered exact.”

It is estimated that the woman was in her 20s when she died. Recently, researchers began to work with the hypothesis that she had died as a result of cancer.

Forensic artist Hew Morrison, who worked on the project, explained that facial reconstruction is primarily used in forensic medicine to help determine a body’s identity when more common means, such as fingerprint identification or DNA analysis, are inconclusive.

On social media, the profile of the Mummy of Warsaw project highlighted that the process known as mummification is an “expression of care with the aim of preserving a person for the afterlife”. “For ancient Egyptians, like us, the face was an integral part of a person’s identity. By reconstructing faces, we are ‘bringing them back to life’ and restoring their identities,” he wrote.