Manchester University Press
24 An investigation into the evidence of age-related osteoporosis in three Egyptian mummies
-
Mervyn Harris
Abstract
Osteopaenia is defined as a bone mineral density (BMD) lower than that considered normal for the age of a particular individual. It is the result of impaired mineralization and excess accumulation of osteoid. Calcium and vitamin D deficiency, Hyperparathyroidism, chronic malignant disease, Chron’s disease, coeliac disease and ulcerative colitis may cause a decrease in bone mineral density. It can also be the result of the natural aging process. More severe cases of decreased bone mineralization are referred to as osteoporosis but the two conditions are essentially the same. Females are more commonly affected due to the decrease in oestrogen levels accompanying the menopause (postmenopausal osteoporosis). The condition can also result from hormonal and musculoskeletal deterioration of physical systems with age (age related osteoporosis). In the case of mummified remains, accurate determination of BMD using Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) cannot be reliably used, therefore other skeletal indicators of advanced age such as evidence of generalised degenerative osteoarthritis (OA), severe alveolar bone loss due to chronic periodontal disease and ante-mortem tooth loss should be looked for. This paper re-examines radiographs of three mummies from the British Museum, Liverpool and Leiden collections taken by Peter Gray in the 1960’s. All three mummies demonstrated radiographic evidence of osteoporosis in the absence of evidence of other pathologies which could cause the condition.
Abstract
Osteopaenia is defined as a bone mineral density (BMD) lower than that considered normal for the age of a particular individual. It is the result of impaired mineralization and excess accumulation of osteoid. Calcium and vitamin D deficiency, Hyperparathyroidism, chronic malignant disease, Chron’s disease, coeliac disease and ulcerative colitis may cause a decrease in bone mineral density. It can also be the result of the natural aging process. More severe cases of decreased bone mineralization are referred to as osteoporosis but the two conditions are essentially the same. Females are more commonly affected due to the decrease in oestrogen levels accompanying the menopause (postmenopausal osteoporosis). The condition can also result from hormonal and musculoskeletal deterioration of physical systems with age (age related osteoporosis). In the case of mummified remains, accurate determination of BMD using Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) cannot be reliably used, therefore other skeletal indicators of advanced age such as evidence of generalised degenerative osteoarthritis (OA), severe alveolar bone loss due to chronic periodontal disease and ante-mortem tooth loss should be looked for. This paper re-examines radiographs of three mummies from the British Museum, Liverpool and Leiden collections taken by Peter Gray in the 1960’s. All three mummies demonstrated radiographic evidence of osteoporosis in the absence of evidence of other pathologies which could cause the condition.
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Dedication v
- Contents vii
- List of figures x
- List of plates xviii
- List of tables xx
- Notes on contributors xxii
- Preface xxxi
- Rosalie David xxxiii
- My first meeting with Rosalie David xxxvi
-
Part I Pharaonic sacred landscapes
- 1 Go west 3
- 2 The Sacred Animal Necropolis at North Saqqara 19
- 3 The Manchester ‘funeral’ ostracon 32
- 4 The tomb of the ‘Two Brothers’ revisited 48
- 5 A review of the monuments of Unnefer, High Priest of Osiris at Abydos in the reign of Ramesses II 56
- 6 Thoughts on Seth the con-man 69
- 7 A Psamtek ushabti and a granite block from Sais (Sa el-Hager) 75
-
Part II Magico-medical practices in ancient Egypt
- 8 A most uncommon amulet 95
- 9 The sting of the scorpion 102
- 10 Magico-medical aspects of the mythology of Osiris 115
- 11 Trauma care, surgery and remedies in ancient Egypt 124
- 12 One and the same? 142
- 13 Bread and beer in ancient Egyptian medicine 157
- 14 On the function of ‘healing’ statues 169
- 15 Writings for good health in social context 183
- 16 Schistosomiasis, ancient and modern 197
- 17 An unusual funerary figurine of the early 18th Dynasty 210
-
Part III Understanding Egyptian mummies
- 18 The biology of ancient Egyptians and Nubians 245
- 19 Further thoughts on Tutankhamun’s death and embalming 256
- 20 Proving Herodotus and Diodorus? 265
- 21 Science in Egyptology 279
- 22 Slices of mummy 292
- 23 Life and death in the desert 302
- 24 An investigation into the evidence of age-related osteoporosis in three Egyptian mummies 321
- 25 The International Ancient Egyptian Mummy Tissue Bank 333
- 26 The enigma of the Red Shroud mummies 344
- 27 The evolution of imaging ancient Egyptian animal mummies at the University of Manchester, 1972–2014 361
- 28 Eaten by maggots 371
-
Part IV Science and experimental approaches in Egyptology
- 29 Scientific studies of pharaonic remains 387
- 30 Education, innovation and preservation 403
- 31 Making an ancient Egyptian contraceptive 416
- 32 Iron from the sky 424
- 33 A bag-style tunic found on the Manchester Museum mummy 1770 440
- 34 ‘Palmiform’ columns 451
- 35 Scientific evaluation of experiments in Egyptian archaeology 462
- 36 Snake busters 477
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Dedication v
- Contents vii
- List of figures x
- List of plates xviii
- List of tables xx
- Notes on contributors xxii
- Preface xxxi
- Rosalie David xxxiii
- My first meeting with Rosalie David xxxvi
-
Part I Pharaonic sacred landscapes
- 1 Go west 3
- 2 The Sacred Animal Necropolis at North Saqqara 19
- 3 The Manchester ‘funeral’ ostracon 32
- 4 The tomb of the ‘Two Brothers’ revisited 48
- 5 A review of the monuments of Unnefer, High Priest of Osiris at Abydos in the reign of Ramesses II 56
- 6 Thoughts on Seth the con-man 69
- 7 A Psamtek ushabti and a granite block from Sais (Sa el-Hager) 75
-
Part II Magico-medical practices in ancient Egypt
- 8 A most uncommon amulet 95
- 9 The sting of the scorpion 102
- 10 Magico-medical aspects of the mythology of Osiris 115
- 11 Trauma care, surgery and remedies in ancient Egypt 124
- 12 One and the same? 142
- 13 Bread and beer in ancient Egyptian medicine 157
- 14 On the function of ‘healing’ statues 169
- 15 Writings for good health in social context 183
- 16 Schistosomiasis, ancient and modern 197
- 17 An unusual funerary figurine of the early 18th Dynasty 210
-
Part III Understanding Egyptian mummies
- 18 The biology of ancient Egyptians and Nubians 245
- 19 Further thoughts on Tutankhamun’s death and embalming 256
- 20 Proving Herodotus and Diodorus? 265
- 21 Science in Egyptology 279
- 22 Slices of mummy 292
- 23 Life and death in the desert 302
- 24 An investigation into the evidence of age-related osteoporosis in three Egyptian mummies 321
- 25 The International Ancient Egyptian Mummy Tissue Bank 333
- 26 The enigma of the Red Shroud mummies 344
- 27 The evolution of imaging ancient Egyptian animal mummies at the University of Manchester, 1972–2014 361
- 28 Eaten by maggots 371
-
Part IV Science and experimental approaches in Egyptology
- 29 Scientific studies of pharaonic remains 387
- 30 Education, innovation and preservation 403
- 31 Making an ancient Egyptian contraceptive 416
- 32 Iron from the sky 424
- 33 A bag-style tunic found on the Manchester Museum mummy 1770 440
- 34 ‘Palmiform’ columns 451
- 35 Scientific evaluation of experiments in Egyptian archaeology 462
- 36 Snake busters 477
