Ancient Egyptian curls perfectly preserved after 3,000 years
- 5 years ago
MOSCOW — Russian scientists have determined the components of a substance that ancient Egyptians used to perfectly preserve hair for millennia.
According to RT, natural mummification in ancient Egypt involved placing the bodies of the deceased in shallow pits in the fetal position, where they gradually dried in the sand.
At the same time, artificial mummification, which involved embalming the bodies, became available to the elites.
Scientists at the Kurchatov Institute Research Center found embalmed hair in good condition on three mummies dating back to the first millenium BC, and analyzed them to determine how they had been preserved for 3,000 years.
Using mass spectrometry, researchers identified beef fat, castor oil, beeswax, pine gum, and pistachio oil as components of a substance applied on the hair of deceased Egyptians. This hair embalming agent is believed to be different than that applied to the body.
The discovery was part of large-scale research conducted on a collection of mummies at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow.
According to RT, natural mummification in ancient Egypt involved placing the bodies of the deceased in shallow pits in the fetal position, where they gradually dried in the sand.
At the same time, artificial mummification, which involved embalming the bodies, became available to the elites.
Scientists at the Kurchatov Institute Research Center found embalmed hair in good condition on three mummies dating back to the first millenium BC, and analyzed them to determine how they had been preserved for 3,000 years.
Using mass spectrometry, researchers identified beef fat, castor oil, beeswax, pine gum, and pistachio oil as components of a substance applied on the hair of deceased Egyptians. This hair embalming agent is believed to be different than that applied to the body.
The discovery was part of large-scale research conducted on a collection of mummies at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow.