The Tomb Mystery: FBI and Deciphering the 4000-Year-Old Mummy’s Head

The Tomb Mystery: FBI and Deciphering the 4000-Year-Old Mummy’s Head

In 1915, a team of American archaeologists made a startling discovery: a concealed tomb buried 30 feet beneath the limestone bedrock at an ancient Egyptian burial site. Within the cramped limestone chamber, they encountered a grisly scene: the decapitated head of a mummy positioned atop a cedarwood coffin. Among the artifacts recovered from this tomb, labeled as 10A, was a mummified head. The mystery remains: to whom did this head once belong?

The first clues to the discovery

Surrounding the tomb yielded an array of artifacts, including intricately painted cedarwood coffins, canopy chests, canopy jars, model boats, and over 100 wooden figurines depicting daily life activities, notably the famous ‘Bersha Procession’.
Amidst these findings lay a headless, limbless mummy callously discarded in a corner, alongside the decapitated head of the mummy. The disturbing arrangement raised questions: Why was the corpse left in such a manner, and whose head did it once belong to? This 4,000-year-old mystery has captivated Egyptologists, urging them to seek answers.

The mystery of the tomb and the Bersha coffin

The Bersha coffin

Among the treasures unearthed within Tomb 10A, the Bersha coffin stands out as a remarkable find. Regarded as the finest Middle Kingdom coffin discovered thus far, it is hailed as a masterpiece of panel painting. The interior of the coffin boasts exquisitely detailed artwork, characterized by thick, vividly colored paint. According to the Museum of Fine Arts, the artist’s meticulous brushwork and skillful use of shading achieved a level of realism seldom seen in Egyptian art, elevating the coffin to a status of unparalleled artistic excellence.

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The mystery of the tomb

The tomb served as the eternal abode of a prominent local governor in early Middle Kingdom Egypt named Djehutynakht and his wife, who shared the same name. Unfortunately, by the time archaeologists stumbled upon the tomb, it had fallen victim to looters, who pillaged its treasures. Among the artifacts left behind was the bandage-wrapped head, left atop one of the coffins, serving as a haunting reminder of the tomb’s desecration.

Djehutynakht and his wife, Lady Djehutynakht, are believed to have lived during Egypt’s Middle Kingdom around 2000 BC. They held sway over a province in Upper Egypt. While the walls of their tomb were devoid of decoration, the coffins themselves were adorned with exquisite hieroglyphics depicting scenes of the afterlife, reflecting the couple’s beliefs and aspirations for eternity.

The FBI gradually decoded the mystery

According to The New York Times, the museum sought assistance from the FBI forensic unit to aid in unraveling the mystery. Their objective was to extract genetic material from the 4,000-year-old mummy, a task that had proven challenging due to the harsh environmental conditions that degrade DNA over centuries, particularly in a hot climate. Previous attempts to extract DNA had been unsuccessful, prompting the museum to turn to forensic experts for specialized assistance.

For years, various teams of scientists had attempted in vain to extract DNA from the molar. However, in 2016, the crown of the tooth was sent to Loreille at the FBI’s lab in Quantico, Virginia.
Loreille, a seasoned expert in ancient DNA analysis who had previously worked on extracting genetic material from ancient specimens such as a 130,000-year-old cave bear and had contributed to identifying individuals from historical events like the Korean War and the sinking of the Titanic, took on the task.
In the lab, Loreille carefully drilled into the tooth’s core, gathering a minuscule amount of powder. This powder was then dissolved to create a DNA library, enabling her to amplify the genetic material like a copy machine, eventually reaching detectable levels. To ascertain whether the extracted DNA belonged to the mummy or was a result of modern contamination, Loreille analyzed the level of damage present in the sample. The significant damage indicated that she was indeed studying genetic material from the mummy.
Using computer software, Loreille analyzed the ratio of chromosomes present in the sample. As expected, the program identified the individual as male, providing a crucial piece of information in unraveling the mystery surrounding the identity of the mummy.

The mystery was illuminated

Loreille discovered that the severed head of the mummified corpse actually belonged to the governor Djehutynakht, not his wife. In doing so, she helped demonstrate that DNA from ancient Egyptians could be extracted from mummies.

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Indeed, the FBI’s involvement not only led to the resolution of a 4,000-year-old mystery but also demonstrated the feasibility of extracting DNA from ancient mummies. This groundbreaking achievement laid the foundation for numerous future investigations, opening up new avenues for researchers to explore the genetic secrets of ancient civilizations and unraveling mysteries buried deep in history.

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