Keynote Lecture IV

doi:10.1515/bnm-2015-9011

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Keynote Lecture IV

Published/Copyright: October 5, 2015

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From the journal BioNanoMaterials Volume 16 Issue 2-3

KN-04

Life and death in ancient Egypt - paleopathology tells about mummies, molecules and medicines

*A. Nerlich

Klinikum München Bogenhausen und München-Schwabing, Institut für Pathologie, München, Deutschland

Mummies are fascinating objects for both interested layperson and specialized scientists for a long time. In this sense, particularly for the latter they represent an important source of data on normal living conditions and pathological situations which can be retrieved by the application of various modern analytical procedures ranging from “easy and cheap” (e.g. the naked eye) to “very difficult and expensive” (e.g. molecular analyses).

The interdisciplinary scientific investigation of mummies of different regions and time periods of ancient Egypt has provided us in the last years with surprising results. On the basis of the own examination of approx. 1.800 mummies/mummy fragments and skeletons we have accumulated in the last 20 years data that show a considerably low rate of infant deaths, relatively young age at death in mostly young adult males and females and high frequencies of trauma sequels as well as frequent cases with metabolic deficiencies, particularly vitamin C and D deficiencies. These observations hold not only true for lower classes, but even more for advanced social populations up to elite people. In parallel, the increasing application of modern molecular techniques for the identification of systemic infectious diseases revealed surprisingly high rates of tuberculosis and first evidence for multiple infections including malaria and other parasites. These findings may explain the relatively low life expectancy even in upper-class people and the high rates of deficiency conditions. Further “modern” diseases, such as malignant tumors, were also identified and some theoretical calculations suggest that “cancer” is an old disease.

Finally, the paleopathological analysis offers insights into ancient Egyptian concepts of medical treatment and care for specific disease conditions which allows us to understand the ancient Egyptian believes in terms of disease and religious practice.

Published Online: 2015-10-5

Published in Print: 2015-10-1

Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/bnm-2015-9011