[00:00.00]Scientists now have an explanation for the mysterious remains of an ancient Egyptian woman who has her mouth open in what appears to be a scream.
[00:14.13]Scientists used a special computer aided X-ray, or CT scan, of the woman's body.
[00:22.97]What they found suggested that the so-called "Screaming Woman" mummy may have died in pain and experienced a form of muscular hardening known as a cadaveric spasm.
[00:38.82]This rare kind of spasm happens at the moment of death.
[00:44.15]The examination found that the woman was about 48 years old when she died.
[00:51.82]Cairo University's Sahar Saleem said she had lived with mild arthritis of the spine and had lost some teeth.
[01:02.40]Saleem led the study that appeared recently in the publication Frontiers in Medicine.
[01:10.70]The woman's body was well-preserved although it had been embalmed 3,500 years ago.
[01:19.60]Embalmers used costly imported materials such as juniper oil and frankincense resin, Saleem added.
[01:29.86]The ancient Egyptians considered preservation of the body after death important for securing a good existence in the afterlife.
[01:40.62]It was a custom to remove the internal organs during the mummification process.
[01:48.43]But the organ removals had not taken place with this woman.
[01:53.43]Saleem said, "In ancient Egypt, the embalmers took care of the dead body, so it would look beautiful for the afterlife."
[02:02.74]She explained that embalmers were interested in closing the mouth of the dead.
[02:09.37]Embalmers kept the jaw in place by tying the jaw to the head.
[02:14.66]This prevented the normal jaw drop that occurs after death.
[02:20.38]But the embalmers were likely not careless with the so-called "Screaming Woman."
[02:27.78]They used high quality materials and gave her costly jewelry and a wig, Saleem said.
[02:35.98]She added that this evidence "opened the way to other explanations of the widely opened mouth."
[02:43.87]The woman may have died screaming from pain.
[02:47.43]And the muscles of the face may have become tense to preserve this appearance "at the time of death due to cadaveric spasm," Saleem explained.
[02:59.61]She said that the full history of the woman's death is unknown, adding the cause of her facial appearance cannot be known "with certainty."
[03:10.39]Cadaveric spasm is a poorly understood condition.
[03:15.34]It is thought to happen after severe physical or emotional suffering.
[03:20.57]The contracted facial muscles become tense and unmoving immediately following death.
[03:28.60]Saleem explained that unlike the stiffening of muscles and joints that happens after death - "cadaveric spasm affects only one group of muscles, not the entire body."
[03:43.22]Asked whether the woman may have been embalmed while alive, Saleem added, "I don't believe that this is possible."
[03:52.46]Saleem was unable to find out how the woman died.
[03:57.41]The "Screaming Woman" was found in the ancient city of Thebes during a scientific search of the burial of a high-ranking official named Senmut in 1935.
[04:11.46]The mummy was inside a wooden coffin in a room beneath Senmut's family burial area.
[04:20.03]Her identity is unknown, but her costly jewelry shows her important position.
[04:27.40]"She was likely a close family member to be buried and share the family's eternal resting place," Saleem said.
[04:36.65]I'm John Russell.
_________________________
Words in This Story
scream -n. to shout in a high voice or high pitch
mummy - n. a body embalmed or treated for burial with preservatives in the manner of the ancient Egyptians
spasm - n. an involuntary and abnormal muscular contraction
arthritis - n. inflammation of joints
preserve - v. to keep free from decay or decomposition
embalm - v. to treat (a dead body) so as to protect from decay
jaw -n. the bones that form the lower part of the mouth and which hold the lower teeth
contract -v. to increase in tension and become shorter or smaller
/1 
鄂公网安备42010202000179号 )