An unusual discovery was made by Polish researchers, officially reporting the only one-known case of detection of the Egyptian-Woman Mummy, buried pregnant. Opening Warsaw Mummy Project Researchers Published in Journal of Archaeological Science.
In research work, begun in 2015, modern technologies for studying artifacts stored at the National Museum in Warsaw were used.
Until recently, scientists believed that this mummy is a man-priest. However, with a more careful examination it turned out that this is a woman in late pregnancy. Experts talk about a high-ranking young person aged 20 to 30 years, who died in the first century BC.
As noted, this is the only known case of a mummified pregnant woman. Scientists first made and published X-ray pictures of ancient artifact: the fetus located in the womb of the mother, who was, by approximately estimated from 26 to 30 weeks.
In the study of the mummy in its abdominal cavity, four convolutions were discovered, presumably, these are neatly removed and wrapped organs of the deceased woman, however, the fruit was left in the womb. Scientists have not yet given explanations, but suggest that this is due to the submission of the afterlife or difficulties associated with the removal of the fetus.
Researchers from the Warsaw project Mumiy have already dubbed the find “the mysterious lady from the Warsaw National Museum”, since they cannot do one-to-one conclusions about its origin. As reported, Mummy was donated to the Warsaw University in 1826. The donor argued that the object was found in the royal tombs (in Egypt), but experts have some doubts about this.
Inscriptions on a richly decorated coffin and sarcophagus forced the 19th century scientists to believe that Mummy belonged to the priest named cho-jhuti. However, after a thorough study of it, scientists now believe that the mummy was “stolen” and taken out in the 19th century by antiquities, when such actions were not rare. Experts estimate the mummy as “well-preserved.”