A study published Friday details the horrific death of a mummy known as “Screaming Woman” who lived some 3,500 years ago in Ancient Egypt.
Screaming Woman died in so much pain that the muscles in her body instantly locked up, freezing her mouth agape, the study revealed. The woman was roughly 48- years-old when she died and suffered from teeth attrition and joint denigration. The embalming method used on the woman was what likely caused her jaw to remain open in a scream for the last few thousand years, representing a fairly unique approach to the practice.
The woman was embalmed in a number of expensive imported substances. Her organs were all left intact within her body, which was pretty uncommon, according to Live Science. “This was a surprise to me, as the classic method of mummification in the New Kingdom [circa 1550 to 1070 B.C.] included the removal of all organs except the heart,” said study co-author Sahar Saleem.
The 3,500-year-old mummy of a woman who lived with arthritis in her spine was found with a wide-open mouth – and researchers say it could be “that the woman died screaming from agony or pain.” https://t.co/kSsuPzuUr7 pic.twitter.com/sHHbdjFZMg
— CBS News (@CBSNews) August 2, 2024
Her burial chamber is close to the tomb of Senenmut, an architect and government official who may have had an affair with the Queen Hatshepsut. Given the proximity, the woman is likely a close family member of Senenmut.
Screaming Woman clearly had cash to spare, as her natural hair was dyed with henna and juniper, but she always wore a black wig and two scarab rings. (RELATED: Ancient Carvings Of Egyptian Pharaohs Discovered Beneath Surface Of Nile River)
Infrared spectroscopy identified juniper resin and frankincense, both of which would ward off insects and bacteria, slowing the body’s decay. “The mummy’s screaming facial expression in this study could be read as a cadaveric spasm, implying that the woman died screaming from agony,” Saleem added.
Live Science says this condition often occurs during assaults, suicide and drowning but has also been witnessed when people die from painful internal diseases. The official cause of Screaming Woman’s death remains unknown, however.
