A 3,400-year-old Egyptian mummy revealed a surprising secret in 2021, when researchers discovered a hidden shell made of mud, sand and straw beneath its linen wrappings. CT scans also uncovered signs that the woman’s body had been repaired after burial. The findings offered fresh insight into ancient Egyptian burial practices, suggesting that people outside the royal elite may have used cheaper materials to imitate the elaborate mummification methods reserved for royalty.
The discovery has challenged existing assumptions about burial practices in ancient Egypt, raising questions about how ordinary people prepared their dead for the afterlife. While royal mummies were often encased in a hard, plant-based resin shell to protect the body, researchers now believe that non-royal Egyptians may have used mud shells as a cheaper alternative to replicate the burial practices of the elite, according to media reports.
