The Golden Boy mummy
THE mummified remains of a teenager found 107 years ago have long remained a mystery – until now. Scientists have “digitally unwrapped” the mummy, revealing a treasure trove of information about his life, including his age, height and background.
In the past, researchers risked damaging and disturbing mummies by physically unwrapping them, but radiologists at Cairo University in Egypt were able to peek inside the mummified boy without lifting a single bandage, through the use of CT scans (see box).
How old is the mummy? The mummy was discovered in 1916 in a burial ground in Nag el-Hassay, Egypt, which was in use between 332 and 30BC.
That means the mummy is about 2 300 years old. By examining the growth of his bones, experts were able to determine that he was 1,28m tall. Further analysis revealed his wisdom teeth hadn’t yet emerged, which means he was about 14 or 15 when he was buried.
Why is it called the Golden Boy? The teenager probably came from a wealthy, important family because he was buried with 49 precious amulets – many of which are made of gold. Amulets are pieces of jewellery that were considered lucky charms.
The Ancient Egyptians believed people needed a little help to ensure their souls reached the afterlife and amulets were supposed to aid their journeys. The boy was also buried wearing sandals, which they believed would help him walk into the afterlife.
What’s going to happen to the mummy now? Management of the Cairo museum, where he’s been kept in a basement since 1916, plans to place him in the main exhibition hall and officially title him the Golden Boy.
The pictures of his remains taken with the CT scanner will also be on display.