CT Scanning crossing over from use in Health Care to examining in detail archaeological finds has become part of how researchers investigate the past. Even since they were first used for that purpose CT Scans have developed further and so can reveal even more information helping us to understand the artefact without destroying it.

Radiologists at  Keck Medicine of the University of Southern California have conducted full-body CT scans of two Egyptian priests, Nes-Min, circa 330 BCE, and Nes-Hor, circa 190 BCE, whose bodies had been preserved for more than 2,200 years.

The mummies, along with 3D digital models and 3D prints of select parts of their bodies, will be on display at “Mummies of the World: The Exhibition,” an upcoming exhibit at the California Science Center which opened Feb. 7.  

Each mummy was scanned inside the bottom half of its sarcophagus, which weighed approximately 200 pounds each. The mummies were wrapped in linen shrouds, blackened with age. The older mummy, Nes-Min, was draped in a garment of heavily beaded net over his torso and wore several strands of colourful beads.  

A state-of-the-art, 320 slice CT scanner revealed small details of their bodies that humanized the men, including facial features such as eyelids and their lower lips. The images also held clues about their health, life experiences and lifespans that resonate with people today.  

Analysis of the scans showed that the elder of the mummies, Nes-Min, probably suffered from an aching lower back like many modern humans. His spine showed a collapsed lumbar or lower back vertebrae likely due to natural aging and wear and tear.  

He was buried with several artifacts, representing several scarab beetles and a fish.  

Nes-Hor’s scan revealed dental issues and a severely deteriorated hip, and that he was older at the time of death than Nes-Min.  

“These scans provide a treasure trove of information made possible by Keck Medicine’s access to the latest in high-level scanning, coupled with the team’s expertise,” said Summer Decker, PhD, who leads 3D imaging for Keck Medicine and serves as director of the USC Center for Innovation in Medical Visualization with the Keck School of Medicine of USC.  

“These mummies were scanned previously, but due to advancements in scanning technology, the results are much more detailed and extensive than ever before.

“The high-resolution images have revealed things that were previously unknown and helped create a picture of what their lives were like.” 

After scanning the mummies, Decker and her colleague, Jonathan Ford, PhD, used the scans to create 3D digital models of the men. They also printed out life-size reproductions of the men’s spines, skulls and hips, as well as artifacts found with Nes-Min, using medical-grade 3D printers.  

“Mummies have long been a mystery. Seeing beneath the surface to reveal the specific lived experience of individuals is incredibly exciting,” said anthropologist Diane Perlov, PhD, senior vice president for special projects at the California Science Center. 

“This modern scientific technology offers us a powerful window into the world of ancient people and past civilizations that might otherwise be lost.”