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The primary objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the challenges involved in detecting ancient ayahuasca, a traditional hallucinogenic drink from the Amazon region, which is prepared using Banisteriopsis caapi liana and other plants, by utilizing advanced analytical techniques. The presence of harmine and harmaline in Andean archaeological findings has led certain authors to speculate that the Banisteriopsis liana may have been the source plant responsible for their occurrence. Consequently, the utilization of this liana can be traced back to at least 500 CE. However, a combination of archaeological, ethnobotanical, biochemical and analytical chemistry considerations has rendered uncertain the true origins of the presence of harmine and harmaline in ancient mummies and artifacts. Thus, the archaeological evidence does not convincingly prove the ancient usage of ayahuasca. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Technisches Messen is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Much of the fascination surrounding Egyptian civilization is linked to the practice of mummification. In fact, to ensure the preservation of the body, the ancient Egyptians mummified both human and animal subjects. However, mummified animal remains are less well studied, although they represent a significant part of the material culture and history of ancient Egypt. The introduction of non-invasive imaging methods has allowed researchers to study the material hidden within the wrappings of mummies. In this article, the cat mummy currently exhibited at the Museo Etnologico Missionario di San Francesco di Fiesole (Florence, Italy), originating from Luxor and legally acquired during an expedition in the 20th century, was analyzed using computed tomography (CT). The CT enabled the identification of the casing content, showing the presence of an entire cat skeleton. The cat had several fractures, some of which were identified in the cervical region, possibly related to the cause of death. Furthermore, the zooarcheological analysis allowed the identification of the age at death of the cat, providing further information about the story of the mummy. This research provides a further contribution to the analysis of mummies, with a case study of a cat mummy that emphasizes the importance of CT scans in humanistic studies and museum environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The International Council of Museums (ICOM) issued a code of ethics for the museums in 2004, several parts of which addressed to how to deal with human remains. This code covers all ethical considerations concerning dealing with human remains. The most interesting part is the one that dealt with need to remove the human remains from public display upon request from the originating communities. Recently, museum professionals have started to investigate this issue from another perspective, raising the dilemma of ethical practice when displaying human remains to the public. They started to think about what the deceased would say if they were asked for their approval for their remains to be displayed to the public after death. Individual museums varied in their opinions, with some approving and others opposing the idea. Some museums have started to set their own ethical codes no how to display remains. Others reached the conclusion that all humans remains should be removed from display. Since this topic has started to be discussed in museums worldwide, I wanted to investigate the opinions of Egyptian museums regarding displaying human remains by means of interviews with museum specialists. Are they concerned about this dilemma? Do they follow ethical procedures in displaying human remains? What are the ethical challenges for museums in relation to the display of human remains, and what changes have there been? A survey was also conducted among members of the Egyptian public to learn how they feel about the display of human remains.

The Douzlākh salt deposit (region: Māhneshān, Zanjān Province, Iran) is unique for its pure and crystal rock salt and was an important supplier of culinary ('table') salt in Achaemenid, Sassanid and Middle Islamic times. At the same time, the site was of central importance to the economic life of the rural populations in the Talkherud Basin. This article focuses on the question of which strategies were decisive for the exploitation of the salt mountain and how a potential supra-regional interest in the culinary salt was perhaps reciprocally connected with a rural hinterland. This hinterland was recently investigated in greater detail by our ongoing research. Did a resource-scape based on salt develop with specific economic and social strategies and practices around the Douzlākh? And was this development triggered by state or imperial control and demand? These questions are being pursued from a perspective utilising a variety of subjects and methods in archaeology, archaeobiology, archaeometry and geoarchaeology. In addition to a detailed on-site artefact study, several on- and off-site datasets have been collected and analysed within a multidisciplinary framework. This article synthesises the results of a major 12-year project to identify the organisational principles and daily practices within this specific salt-scape. The sensational finds of the Douzlākh salt mummies, along with the generally outstanding preservation of organic ecofacts and artefacts, allow insights into antique lifeworlds that are otherwise hard to come by. The multidisciplinary study of on- and off-site data allows far-reaching insights into interdisciplinary topics, such as the social system, supply and logistics, or the presence of non-local or non-indigenous populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we describe a newly found frozen mummy of a young woolly rhinoceros (4–4.5 years old), dated to the Karginian Interstadial of the Late Neopleistocene (32 440 ± 140 years ago). The dimensional characteristics of this specimen are compared to those of 1- to 1.5-year-old juvenile, as well as adults, of Coelodonta antiquitatis found previously. Studies of the new find allowed to fill some of the information gaps concerning the features of the ontogenesis of the woolly rhinoceros, illustrate age-related changes in the color of its fur, and reveal a new anatomical peculiarity of C. antiquitatis—the presence of a fatty hump. Numerous remains of microscopic crustaceans were found in the wool, including representatives of the genus Moina (Cladocera: Moinidae), currently absent in the region. The latter were relatively common in Pleistocene temporary water bodies of Yakutia. The carcass of the rhinoceros was buried in a shallow (apparently temporary), fishless reservoir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores evidence on Queen Nefertiti of ancient Egypt that has altered perspectives and theories surrounding the queen and her possible elevation to pharaoh and co-regent of King Akhenaten. Information is provided on the 18th Dynasty and Amarna Period, the graffito inscription from Akhenaten's 16th regnal year referring to the King's Great Wife, Nefertiti's possible parentage of Tutankhamum, the last of the 18th Dynasty and Amarma kings, and the identification of her mummy and tomb.

The Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo are one of the most visited sites on the island of Sicily and are home to one of the world's largest assemblages of human mummies. Within the framework of a multidisciplinary project aimed at investigating the biohistories of non-adults buried at this site, the authors wished to better understand how visitors felt about the display of these young individuals and whether they had prior knowledge of these mummies before their visit. In order to capture guest feedback, questionnaires were distributed to 105 visitors in September 2022. While there were no clear-cut patterns based on the demographic and social attributes of visitors, this research revealed some recurring themes. Several visitors felt that there should be signs warning guests of the Children's Room due to the large number of young individuals displayed in this area. Furthermore, visitors felt that more information was needed throughout the site and queried whether the non-adults, or their kin, had consented to their display. These issues could be addressed by the inclusion of information boards in the catacombs. The findings of this research ultimately have implications for the way in which non-adult remains are displayed in catacombs and other heritage contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The island of Seili, in the south-western archipelago of Finland, is famous for its history as a leprosy colony and mental asylum. The island formed a small, hierarchical community run by priests and hospital officials. In this article, we examine the history of the burial crypt in Seili church by comparing information from historical documents and observations made during archaeological fieldwork. The material gathered from these two sources is conflicting, suggesting an interesting history in the use of the burial crypt. It seems that women's coffins could easily be moved elsewhere from the crypt when new coffins belonging to males were interred. It is argued that identifying the buried individuals would be necessary for a taphonomic study of the mummification processes and ensuring that the information about the crypt is based on facts. However, the identification is difficult due to inconsistent historical records. This underlines the importance of Post-Medieval archaeology in studying sites connected to family histories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the beginning of the 19th Century, the Italian military officer Juan de Megliorini gathered in his house at Santa Cruz de Tenerife a collection about natural history and Guanche antiquities, which attained international notoriety owing to the exhibition of a mummy. In this study, we reconstruct its contents from the testimonies of the visitors and we will see how it was distributed amongst several buyers that brought the objects out of the island. The main beneficiary was Lhomme Bouglinval, a french orchilla merchant, which took advantage of his stay in Tenerife in order to gather a Guanche collection preserved in the Musée de l'Homme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Inappropriate environmental conditions play a major role in mummy's degradation. • The mummification technique also plays a role in the degradation process. • Analytical techniques were used for the mummification and degradation processes. • This study outlined the general approach to mummification in the late period. • The studied mummy needs urgent conservation treatment and preventive conservation. Improper burial and storage conditions significantly impact the degradation process of mummies. Factors such as pressure, fluctuations in humidity and temperature, and exposure to light can accelerate this degradation. This study focuses on understanding the degradation mechanism of a mummy from the Late Period, currently stored in the excavation stores at Saqqara, Giza, Egypt. Various techniques including temperature and humidity monitoring, light intensity measurement, internal water content analysis, digital microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (FESEM-EDX), X-ray radiography, internal endoscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and isolation and identification of fungi were employed to investigate the mummy's condition. The study found that the soil's mechanical stress caused bone fractures in the mummy's body. Increased humidity led to the dissolution of natron salt, which penetrated the body and surface, resulting in decay of soft tissue and bone. Various microscopes revealed cracks, insect holes, and other damage. Internal endoscopy confirmed body removal and decay. X-ray radiography showed the brain had been removed without resin filling the space. FTIR analysis identified the presence of natron salt, bitumen, beeswax, Arabic gum, and plant oil in the mummification process. Additionally, it showed the chemical stability changes in the mummy components. Fungi such as Penicillium implicatum, Aspergillus flavus, and Trichoderma sp. were also identified. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corn mummies, i.e., miniature pseudo-mummies, made of a mixture of sand and cereal grains, with Osirian iconography, can provide a useful perspective from which to look at the complex nature of Osiris and his cult. Despite having been a well-researched subject at least since the 1980s, they still deserve attention. This study re-examines the known contexts, anticipates the dating of the earliest known artefacts, and analyses their relationship with other categories of related objects, such as the so-called "Osiris beds" and "Osiris bricks". Although all these artefacts are linked to the rites of Khoiak and share a common conceptual background, the author proposes to distinguish between a cultic tradition and a funerary one. Corn mummies fit into the former strand, as images of the dead god embalmed, prefiguring his rebirth through the sprouting grain. Their main meaning seems to be related to the idea of the rebirth of nature and vegetation rather than to the hope in resurrection. In contrast, "Osiris beds" were aimed to revive an individualized Osiris, i.e., the deceased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, published in the European Heart Journal, presents the findings of the HORUS study, which aimed to investigate the presence of atherosclerosis in ancient mummified humans. The study analyzed whole body CT scans of mummies from seven different cultures, including Egyptian, Peruvian, Bolivian, Unangan/Aleutian Islander, Greenlandic Inuit, ancestral Puebloan, and Middle-Ages Gobi Desert pastoralists. The results showed that atherosclerosis was present in all cultures except for one Indigenous Australian mummy. The study suggests that atherosclerosis has been a part of human populations for thousands of years and supports the existence of an innate human predisposition to the disease. [Extracted from the article]

X-ray computed tomography (XRCT) imaging allows non-destructive visualization of the structure of various materials. Applied to wooden objects, it allows determination of their morphologies or manufacturing techniques, but also measurement of growth ring widths. We have applied XRCT to a selection of 38 mummy labels. This funerary furniture, made up of endemic or imported tree species, has survived thanks to environmental conditions in very large quantities in regions in Middle and Upper Egypt and is featured now in museum collections across the globe. Mummy labels thus represent a unique and abundant data source to build floating or absolutely dated dendrochronological chronologies for this period. Here we discuss the possible contributions and limitations of XRCT for the analysis of these artifacts and show that the approach allows identification of discriminating markers for the identification of certain species on the transverse plane, but that the insufficient resolution of the tangential and radial planes normally prevents formal identification of species. By contrast, XRCT undeniably enhances the visibility of toolmarks (in terms of numbers and depth), and thereby allows highlighting marks that remain invisible to the naked eye; XRCT also provides key insights into cutting methods and the calibers used and yields new information on silvicultural practices and the knowhow of Egyptian craftsmen. Finally, the measurement of ring widths on XRCT imagery is also more accurate than what can be achieved by traditional dendrochronological measurements, especially in the case of cuts realized on a slab. The approach also confirms the limited potential of local broadleaved species for dendrochronological approaches due to unreadable or poorly visible tree rings and mostly short tree-ring sequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we review the three natural contaminants (arsenic, boron, and lithium) that affected the ancient Andean populations of northern Chile. We debate the natural setting and the toxicity of these elements upon ancient populations exposed and their biocultural significance. This review demonstrates that recent advances in sensitive analytical atomic and mass spectrometry methods have immensely contributed to understanding the extent of exposure to geogenic metal (loid)s by ancient Andeans using well preserved tissues such as hair, bones, and teeth. In addition, the synthesized evidence shows that ancient Atacama Desert populations were significantly affected simultaneously by multiple potentially toxic chronic endemic regional hydro contaminants. Last, we suggest that future archaeometric and archaeological analysis need to consider ancient multicontaminants as an important factor when analyzing diet and health conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biodeterioration of archaeological mummies is a severe issue, where fungi are the most significant agents deteriorating them. The inhibitory effect of [1,2,4]triazolo[3,4-a]isoquinoline chalcone derivatives on the growth of thirteen deteriorated fungal species (Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, A. terreus, Athelia bombacina, Aureobasidium iranianum, Byssochlamys spectabilis, Cladosporium cladosporioides, C. ramotenellum, Penicillium crustosum, P. polonicum, Talaromyces atroroseus, T. minioluteus, and T. purpureogenus), which isolated and identified from ancient Egyptian mummy cartonnage located in El-Lahun regions, Fayoum government, Egypt were investigated. Antifungal activity and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the tested four chalcone derivatives with different concentrations (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 mg/ml) were measured. The most efficient chalcone derivatives are chalcone derivative number 4 which causes the maximum significant inhibition in the growth of the thirteen isolated fungal species with MIC ranging from 1 to 3 mg/ml followed by chalcone derivatives number 6 with MIC ranging from 2 to 5 mg/ml. The use of chalcone derivative number 4 for the preservation of cultural assets should be considered for future applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This note presents a novel approach to facial approximation adopting forensic methodologies, that is the process of recreating an individual's facial traits from their osteological remains by combing anatomo-anthropological techniques with artistic rendering. In this article, a facial approximation of the famous mummy known as the "Gilded Lady" is offered based on previously published video material and CT scan data. The process is explained in its main steps. This new facial approximation contributes to the ongoing technical development of the digital applications to the field of bioarchaeology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Montané Anthropological Museum of the University of Havana in Cuba houses a male mummy in its collection, which is called the "Peruvian Miner". During the 1970s, the origin of this mummy was determined to be Peruvian. The supine body position of the mummy was believed to be the result of an accident in a "Peruvian Mine", one that prevented a burial in a squat position, which was typical for pre-Columbian cultures. Recent research in 2015 has shown that this male individual is not in a squat position. A macroscopic investigation, especially observing most of all the positioning of the body, but also the type of mummification of the body and its preservation did suggest a possible origin from the pre-Hispanic inhabitants of Tenerife, (Canary Islands, today Spain), the Guanche. Three approaches were used to verify or refute the South American origin of the mummy and approve the hypothesis that it might be a Guanche. The first approach was to rule out the possibility that he was a miner. Therefore, elemental nondestructive analysis was performed by scanning electron microscopy with an energy-dispersive X-ray detector (SEM-EDX) to reveal possible contamination by metals mined in Latin America. The second approach was a genetic analysis. Mitochondrial ancient DNA (mtDNA) is more resistant to degradation than nuclear DNA in skeletal remains, due to the high number of mtDNA in the cell and its circular character. The poor preservation of DNA in the mummies was the reason for studying the whole mitogenome. This type of molecule has matrilineal inheritance, so it was used to trace the origin of the mummy. The third approach was radiocarbon dating to confirm or discard the pre-Columbian origin of the mummy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whether ground up into medicinal powders or on display during unwrapping parties, in museums or on the silver screen, Egyptian human mummies have captured popular fascination for centuries. This mummy craze, termed mummymania by Egyptologists, has had a lasting influence on public and academic perceptions of mummies in museums. Egyptian mummies, as a result of mummymania, have continued to be merely the focal point of museum collections, valued not as historically significant individuals but for their ability to pique the interest of the public as "objects" of curiosity. To reevaluate how mummies are represented in the museum space, this article evaluates the difficult histories surrounding mummies and their acquisition into museums, drawing on critical heritage and museology studies and using the Egyptian Exhibit at the Redpath Museum as a case study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Defining a new protocol for manufacturing a high-quality reproduction of a mummy. • New approach in archaeological exhibit for a tactile and inclusive museum experience. • New application of bio-fabricated nanocellulose in an archaeological replica. • Monitoring a bio-fabricated embalmed skin of the mummy of Ramses II. • New approach on cultural and archaeological dissemination and storytelling. The goal of the project accounted in the present article was to produce a perfect replica of the "mummy" of Pharaoh Ramses II with organic and sustainable materials and to let it be displayed without a showcase and even touched by visitors in a museum. The replica was produced by an integrated team of experts through 3D modeling and handcraft. The "mummy" was the core of the exhibition entitled "The mummy of Ramses. The immortal pharaoh" visited by more than 5000 people for four months (68 opening days). The interaction of visitors with the touchable embalmed body was thus studied, as well as the preservation state of the recreated mummified skin. The results of such an experience are illustrated hereby. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Samples of thin gold and black resin were found in an ancient Egyptian tomb. • LIBS is used to analyze black resin and gold in embalming remains. • Spectroscopic results revealed butemen and not pure gold. • EDX measurements of the same samples validated the LIBS results. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has recently been considered one of archaeology's most preferred analytical techniques because of its simplicity; it does not need sample preparation, is fast, is a quasi-nondestructive analytical technique, and is cost-effective. Besides, LIBS can perform stratigraphic measurements, which are of significant interest in cultural heritage samples. Such pros facilitate utilizing LIBS in situ, e.g., in museums and excavation sites. In the present work, LIBS has been used to analyze black resin remains and gold fragments used in mummification and collected from the Ptahemwia tomb in the vicinity of Djoser's Step Pyramid at Sakkara. The IR (1064 nm) and the UV (355 nm) laser wavelengths have been used in the LIBS measurements. The results revealed both samples' emission line intensity dependence on the laser wavelength. In this regard, elements such as Na, Ca, Mo, and CN (molecular band) for black resin and Au, Ag, and Cu for gold samples were detected as significant elements. It has been found that the detection sensitivity achieved by the LIBS technique was higher when using the UV laser. This is crucial in detecting rare earth elements REE (Y, La) and/or minor elements (Nb, Zr) in the samples under study. Furthermore, the energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis has been used to validate the LIBS results for the same samples. In agreement with what is reported in the literature, the LIBS and the EDX spectroscopic results showed that the black resin investigated in the present study is bitumen in its composition. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Capuchin Catacombs in Palermo, Sicily, have been home to non-adult mummified remains since the seventeenth century CE. Despite the increasing numbers of scientific studies conducted at this site, very little research has focused specifically on the youngest members of late modern (1787–1880 CE) society. This research aims to redress the balance by examining 43 individuals to gain insight into the demographic profile of mummified non-adults, to characterize their health status and possible cause of death, and to better understand the funerary treatment offered to the youngest members of society. A portable X-ray unit was used to capture anteroposterior and lateral images of each mummy; this facilitated age estimation, the identification of pathological and/traumatic lesions, and evidence of conservation and the mummification process more generally. This study revealed that regardless of age and health status at the time of death, the mortuary rite performed was primarily influenced by the wealth and social standing of the deceased’s kin. No demographic trends were observed in the data and the lack of evidence of metabolic, neoplastic, and traumatic bone lesions suggest these non-adults died from short-term, acute illnesses. Even when individuals did display evidence of chronic health conditions that would have impacted their day-to-day lives (e.g., B035), they were not excluded from this mortuary tradition on the basis of their long-term health and care requirements in life. Artifacts were found with all individuals examined and were associated with the mummification process, conservation of mummies, and/or their display. This research has ultimately demonstrated that non-invasive imaging can be used to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the lives and deaths of non-adults inhabiting late modern Palermo.

Introduction: Mummy berry is a serious disease that may result in up to 70 percent of yield loss for lowbush blueberries. Practical mummy berry disease detection, stage classification and severity estimation remain great challenges for computer vision-based approaches because images taken in lowbush blueberry fields are usually a mixture of different plant parts (leaves, bud, flowers and fruits) with a very complex background. Specifically, typical problems hindering this effort included data scarcity due to high manual labelling cost, tiny and low contrast disease features interfered and occluded by healthy plant parts, and over-complicated deep neural networks which made deployment of a predictive system difficult. Methods: Using real and raw blueberry field images, this research proposed a deep multi-task learning (MTL) approach to simultaneously accomplish three disease detection tasks: identification of infection sites, classification of disease stage, and severity estimation. By further incorporating novel superimposed attention mechanism modules and grouped convolutions to the deep neural network, enabled disease feature extraction from both channel and spatial perspectives, achieving better detection performance in open and complex environments, while having lower computational cost and faster convergence rate. Results: Experimental results demonstrated that our approach achieved higher detection efficiency compared with the state-of-the-art deep learning models in terms of detection accuracy, while having three main advantages: 1) field images mixed with various types of lowbush blueberry plant organs under a complex background can be used for disease detection; 2) parameter sharing among different tasks greatly reduced the size of training samples and saved 60% training time than when the three tasks (data preparation, model development and exploration) were trained separately; and 3) only one-sixth of the network parameter size (23.98M vs. 138.36M) and one-fifteenth of the computational cost (1.13G vs. 15.48G FLOPs) were used when compared with the most popular Convolutional Neural Network VGG16. Discussion: These features make our solution very promising for future mobile deployment such as a drone carried task unit for real-time field surveillance. As an automatic approach to fast disease diagnosis, it can be a useful technical tool to provide growers real time disease information that can prevent further disease transmission and more severe effects on yield due to fruit mummification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study conducts a comprehensive comparative analysis of bone pathologies between ancient Egypt and today. We aim to elucidate the prevalence, types, and potential aetiological factors influencing skeletal disorders in these two distinct temporal and cultural contexts. Methods: The research employs a multidisciplinary approach, integrating osteological, paleopathological, and historical data to understand bone pathologies in mummies and the actual world. Applying radiographs and CT scans as noninvasive techniques has shed new light on past diseases such as fractures, dysplasia, osteoarthritis, surgery, and tuberculosis. Virtual inspection has almost replaced classical autopsy and is essential, especially when dealing with museum specimens. Results: Findings indicate no significant disparities in the prevalence and types of bone pathologies through 4300 years of evolution. Moreover, this study sheds light on the impact of sociocultural factors on bone health. Examination of ancient Egypt's burial practices and associated cultural beliefs provides insights into potential behavioral and ritualistic influences on bone pathologies and the prevalence of specific pathologies in the past and present. Conclusion: This comparative analysis illuminates the dynamic of bone pathologies, highlighting the interplay of biological, cultural, and environmental factors. By synthesizing archeological and clinical data, this research contributes to a more nuanced understanding of skeletal health's complexities in ancient and modern societies, offering valuable insights for anthropological and clinical disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I will argue how Paracelsus's concept of the universal ensoulment of nature may relate to his understanding of the self-healing capacity of the body, as shown in his Grosse Wundartzney (1536). Here, his new approach to medicine is visible, focusing not on retaining or restoring the balance of bodily humours but on strengthening the inner "essence" of life (the so-called "balsam," "mummy," "astral spirit," etc.). This is possible by means of life-endowed essences of healing substances which can affect the body's vital principle by means of inner sympathies. Here, a link is established to medical alchemy as a way to produce more subtle medicines, the "essences" of things. Such an undertaking is possible only in the framework of the natural magic concept with its underlying microcosm-macrocosm analogy. It is my aim to show not only the principles of Paracelsus's new medicine, alchemy, and his worldview in general, but also how his theories may relate to his predecessors, including Marsilio Ficino, one of the few authors who escaped Paracelsus's harsh critique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The universal use of computed tomography (CT) has opened up new possibilities in the noninvasive examination of human mummies, and particularly the detailed study of the fine structures of the temporal bone. The aim of this study was to describe the morphological changes, as seen on CT, found in the right temporal bone of Djed-Hor, an around 2300 year old Heidelberg's Egyptian mummy, and to discuss their possible causal relation to his death. Here we showed the presence of a compress on the auricle, and of probable pus in the mastoid, middle ear, and external ear with erosion of the tegmen tympani probably related to a fatal acute mastoiditis. These typical morphological changes of such a disease were demonstrated in the same way as in living patients of today. This would be the first depiction of a compress on an auricle associated with pus in the ear of an Egyptian mummy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Paper Conservation is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

During research conducted in 2019 regarding pelvic shape in population groups and its effects on successful delivery, one of the individuals studied was a Late Dynastic/Coptic Egyptian female mummy approximately 14–17 years old (USNM catalogue number 258601). She had an associated fetus that was wrapped and placed between her legs during mummification (USNM 258602). In 1908, the mother and child were excavated and autopsied for analysis. Field notes from 1908 said she had died from obstetric complications. For our 2019 study, the mummy was CT scanned to acquire the measurements of her pelvis and determine if cephalopelvic disproportion played a role in her death. While examining the CT images, elements of what was believed to be the fetus were identified in the mother. However, there were repetitions of elements, and a second fetus was discovered in the chest cavity of the mummy. The mother was carrying twins. For this study, re‐scanning by CT and plain film radiography of the torso were performed on the mother as well as plain film radiography on the external fetus. Additionally, records and photographs from the 1908 expedition were reviewed to gather additional information on the mummy. Results note this mummy was pregnant with twins and in the middle of the birthing process at the time of her death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review paper presents a review of the evolution of this disease throughout the centuries, describes and summarizes the pathophysiologic mechanisms, briefly discusses the mechanism of action of diuretics, presents their role in decongesting heart failure in patients, and reveals the data behind ultrafiltration in the management of acutely or chronically decompensated heart failure (ADHF), focusing on all the available data and advancements in this field. Acutely decompensated heart failure (ADHF) presents a critical clinical condition characterized by worsening symptoms and signs of heart failure, necessitating prompt intervention to alleviate congestion and improve cardiac function. Diuretics have traditionally been the mainstay for managing fluid overload in ADHF. Mounting evidence suggests that due to numerous causes, such as coexisting renal failure or chronic use of loop diuretics, an increasing rate of diuretic resistance is noticed and needs to be addressed. There has been a series of trials that combined diuretics of different categories without the expected results. Emerging evidence suggests that ultrafiltration may offer an alternative or adjunctive approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of ancient Egyptian mummies is of great interest to scientists and the public in general. Recent research highlights the need for a new reading of the science of mummification using the latest scientific methods of examination such as CT scanning. In the last forty years, many non-destructive CT scanning studies of Egyptian mummies from different museums and collections in Egypt, Europe, and the USA have been conducted, proving to be powerful tools in current research studies of ancient Egyptian human remains. CT scanning can identify which type of embalming techniques were used to preserve each mummy and have revealed that ancient Egyptian embalmers used methods to maintain the external shape of the mummy by inserting filler material under the skin during the 3rd Intermediate period. The main aim of this research is to thoroughly study Tjanefer, a mummy of the 3rd Intermediate period, to demonstrate the level of sophistication of the mummification technique reached during this period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During his excavations in the Fayum, between 1900 and 1902, Pierre Jouguet was able to find a large number of mummy cartonnages, which along with documents of various sorts yielded some surprising, previously lost literary texts, such as Menander's Sicyonians, Euripides' Erechtheus, and Stesichorus' Thebaid. The exact find-spot of the papyri is unclear: we know that the mummies were found in different necropoleis between Medinet Ghoran and Medinet en Nahas (ancient Magdola), but clear topographic information is largely missing: after reaching France, the cartonnages were dismantled in different steps over a span of several decades, so their 'archival' history is often difficult to trace. Nonetheless, even if their archaeological context is lost, the texts seem to point to common cultural contexts, as suggested by a comparison of their philological, palaeographic and 'bibliological' features. This article will survey such characteristics, in order to reflect on the readership and circulation of Greek literary texts in Ptolemaic Egypt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interest in the Turin Papyrus, which records the names of the kings of ancient Egypt, began with its study by Champollion at the Turin museum in 1924. It was followed by the efforts of other scholars, who recognized its importance as the first papyrus to accurately record the timeline of Egyptian kings since the beginning of the coronation of kings in prehistory, proving that Egypt's civilization was the most ancient worldwide with its system, governance, and administration, in commemoration of the major events that it experienced, and in following up on the lineage and sequence of its kings. However, this importance quickly faded, and the content of the papyrus about those first periods, dating back to 36.620 years before the rule of King "Narmer" BC, was ignored. This is evidenced by most studies on the beginnings of the ancient Egyptian civilization that began with the attempts to unite Egypt, especially in 3000 BC, where the rule of the main king of unity began. This motivated me to explore this theme in an effort to determine the importance of this papyrus and the truth about the beginning of the rule of kings in ancient Egypt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mummification was not practiced by doctors in ancient Egypt and was not intended to teach doctors anatomy. Whether or not we know how to decipher its hieroglyphs, Ancient Egypt speaks to us: it transmitted to us its ideal of beauty and the munificence of its greatest Pharaoh Ramses II. Chat with Ramses about mummification in ancient Egypt I Doctors (All): i Ramses, let's get back to your health in your lifetime. [Extracted from the article]

People living with facial eye disfigurements (LwFED) are often shunned by a society that makes spontaneous judgements based on appearance. This article is a case study of the lived experience of Toni, a 27-year-old woman LwFED, the result of her treatment for ocular cancer. Semi-structured interviews facilitated the exploration of her experiences. We present the findings chronologically but interwoven with themes such as: being strong for others; responding to her partner's abuse; dealing with strangers; and reinventing her sense of identity and supporting others. We identified institutional perspectives of work, hospital, and family within the prevailing UK that impacted Toni's experiences of LwFED and argue that institutional perspectives need to be educated about the ordinary person's daily grind of LwFED to address unrecognised bias and assumption. Only when identified and addressed can the reframing of social, institutional, organisational, and medical understandings and responses facilitate and support the lives of those LwFED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper looks at the creation of narrative in the treatment of a 10‐year‐old girl. It will explore how psychodynamic, psychoanalytically informed work can help a child whose internalized narrative structure seemed built to harbour violent, unpredictable and psychopathic objects. It will examine how close and vigilant observation of a child's internalized storyline and choice of figurines/symbols can lead to more compassion and thoughtful personification in play, and how this in turn can lead not only to the facilitation of creativity around a more coherent storyline, but also the opportunity for the therapist to 'co‐author' a different trajectory for the figurines, and outcome. Whilst the analysis will concentrate on the patient's internal world, it will extend to a discussion about the blurred lines between truth and play. The paper will present the examination and participation of symbolic play as a highly useful device for a therapist in shifting a child's interiority, in this case enough for the patient to be self‐determining in their external world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The assignment awarded to pioneering Black sculptor Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller—to envision an inherited past and future offerings for "Americans of Negro lineage" at the 1921 America's Making Exposition—was daunting. The result, Ethiopia, takes this charge as an opportunity to reclaim an African birthright rooted in a decolonial counter-history of Ethiopia and Egypt. Transported in Fuller's work beyond present conditions of archaeological dispossession and eugenicist anti-Blackness, these territories become the grounds for reestablishing kinship across the Black Atlantic in a symbolic act of repair toward the development of an African American selfhood uniquely capable of imagining a future beyond longstanding regimes of systemic racism. Foreshadowing by several decades the full flourishing of pan-Africanism, Ethiopia takes up the nascent Harlem Renaissance quest for a "New Negro" identity and singles out for particular concern the construction of Black womanhood circa 1921 atop a racialized and gendered foundation of "Egyptian" and "Ethiopian/Nubian" as contested discursive formations. Considering the manifold genealogies of Fuller's sculpture and its politics of diasporic relation, I aim to contextualize this polysemous signifier within the immediate legacy of a tumultuous, preceding half century. These decades saw the rise of a particular fascination with ancient Egyptian "heritage" alongside and as part of the development of racial pseudoscience in the United States, the decisive anticolonial Battle of Adwa in Ethiopia, and the momentary promise of decolonization at the end of World War I. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Capuchins’ Catacombs of Palermo are not the main tourist attraction of the city, however they receive a high number of visitors representing the niche travel market named “dark tourism”. Even though studies have proven that it is not possible to identify a specific traveller known as “dark tourist”, explicitly interested in locations wholly or partly connected to death or sufferings, they highlighted the existence of a building interest to visit sites relating to death and burial grounds, such as crypts and cemeteries. The Capuchins of Palermo were specialists in the Modern Era mummification techniques, but they were not the only ones. In fact, in Sicily today, you can find a great number of similar sites (e.g. Gangi, Savoca) that are involved in important heritage conservation and heritagization processes aiming to attract and generate economic and tourism growth.

Organic blueberry production in the PNW has many challenges, including diseases like mummy berry caused by the fungus Monilinia vaccinii-corymbosi (Reade) Honey. Management recommendations focus on reducing overwintering pseudosclerotia, however, it is unknown how long they survive. Based on qualitative observations pseudosclerotia are hypothesized to survive multiple years after contact with the soil surface. The development of apothecia from M. vaccinii-corymbosi pseudosclerotia was evaluated over multiple years at a location without a history of blueberry production. A total of 1,000 pseudosclerotia were placed on field soil plots in 2018 and replicated eight times. Another 100 pseudosclerotia were placed in wire corrals on field soil and replicated fifteen times. Plots and corrals were regularly examined each spring for the emergence of apothecia. The pseudosclerotia were able to survive, germinate, and produce apothecia for up to five years after their placement. Very few pseudosclerotia produced apothecia in any year, varying from 0 to 18 at any observed time. Pieces of partial or whole pseudosclerotia were observed for up to three years after placement. Our study shows that a pseudosclerotial "seed bank" exists under blueberry bushes, necessitating a long-term implementation of mummy berry cultural management tactics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smallpox caused by the variola virus (VARV) was one of the greatest infectious killers of mankind. Historical records trace back smallpox for at least a millennium while phylogenetic analysis dated the ancestor of VARV circulating in the 20th century into the 19th century. The discrepancy was solved by the detection of distinct VARV sequences first in 17th‐century mummies and then in human skeletons dated to the 7th century. The historical records noted marked variability in VARV virulence which scientists tentatively associated with gene losses occurring when broad‐host poxviruses narrow their host range to a single host. VARV split from camel and gerbil poxviruses and had no animal reservoir, a prerequisite for its eradication led by WHO. The search for residual pockets of VARV led to the discovery of the monkeypox virus (MPXV); followed by the detection of endemic smallpox‐like monkeypox (mpox) disease in Africa. Mpox is caused by less virulent clade 2 MPXV in West Africa and more virulent clade 1 MPXV in Central Africa. Exported clade 2 mpox cases associated with the pet animal trade were observed in 2003 in the USA. In 2022 a world‐wide mpox epidemic infecting more than 80,000 people was noted, peaking in August 2022 although waning rapidly. The cases displayed particular epidemiological characteristics affecting nearly exclusively young men having sex with men (MSM). In contrast, mpox in Africa mostly affects children by non‐sexual transmission routes possibly from uncharacterized animal reservoirs. While African children show a classical smallpox picture, MSM mpox cases show few mostly anogenital lesions, low‐hospitalization rates and 140 fatal cases worldwide. MPXV strains from North America and Europe are closely related, derived from clade 2 African MPXV. Distinct transmission mechanisms are more likely causes for the epidemiological and clinical differences between endemic African cases and the 2022 epidemic cases than viral traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In arctic zone of West Siberia, native people’s bodies were sometimes mummified inside the medieval graves. In 2013 to 2017, we conducted the excavations of medieval graves at Zeleny Yar cemetery in Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Among the burials, current report deals with the mummy grave #79. During the investigation, bronze plate and strips, woven or fur clothing, leather strap, beads, bronze bracelets, and iron knife etc. were collected. Anatomical and radiological research showed that the mummy was found intact with hair, skin, and skeletons, but the preservation status of soft tissue differed greatly depending on the area. The brain and eyes were well preserved, but the chest and abdominal organs almost disappeared. The arms were preserved to some extent, but only the bones remained in the legs. The West Siberian mummy could be a great resource for anthropologists to reveal the biological aspects of arctic indigenous people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the expansion of Tawantinsuyo, the Inca Empire sustained its hegemony by using multiple strategies, including moving specialized groups called mitimaes to their conquered territories. This study examines bioarchaeological evidence from the Camarones 9 (CAM-9) Inca period cemetery at the mouth of the Camarones Valley in northern Chile. The waters in this valley contain concentrations of arsenic that are 100 times above the norm (10 μg/L) for human ingestion, causing serious health consequences. We study the environmental health effects on this population, using atomic absorption spectrometry and hydride generation to investigate arsenic concentration in the bone tissues of 16 individuals sampled from this burial site. Three of four individuals presented arsenic levels in their bones that were beyond the standard 1 μg/g, with a median of 3.6 μg/g; in some, the levels were nine times higher than those currently recommended by the World Health Organization. Considering previous and current bioarchaeological evidence, especially the high arsenic levels found in these individuals, we postulate that the CAM-9 site population corresponds to mitimaes who settled on the Camarones coast. This study is relevant to all regions of the world that present ecotoxic loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In an Austrian piglet-producing farm, sudden occurrences of mummified foetuses of various sizes and stillborn piglets were observed, and date of births were delayed in more than 50% of the sows in the respective farrowing group. There are a few pathogens known to be involved in pathogenesis of this particular clinical picture, called SMEDI (short for "stillbirth, mummification, embryonic death and infertility"). All of them were included in the diagnostic work-up of three litters consisting of mummies and stillborns, but were not detected. Instead, high viral loads of the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), a virus known to be involved in the aetiology of a variety of clinical signs in pigs, but not in the one of papyraceous mummifications, were found. This once more shows the variability of the clinical outcome of this pathogen. Diverse origins and causes are described for papyraceous mummifications of porcine foetuses, but the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is not one of them. In contrast, PRRSV is unlikely to cause mid-term placental transmission but may cause late-term abortions and weakness of piglets. This case report describes a sudden occurrence of mummified foetuses of various sizes and stillborns and delayed birth (>115 days) in more than 50% of sows from one farrowing batch, while newborn piglets were mostly vital. Neither increased embryonic death nor infertility was reported. Three litters with mummies, autolysed piglets and stillborn piglets were investigated, and infections with porcine parvoviruses, porcine teschoviruses, porcine circoviruses, encephalomyocarditis virus, Leptospira spp. and Chlamydia spp. were excluded. Instead, high viral loads of PRRSV were detected in the thymus pools of piglets at all developmental stages, even in piglets with a crown–rump length between 80 and 150 mm, suggesting a potential mid-term in utero transmission of the virus. Genomic regions encoding structural proteins (ORF2–7) of the virus were sequenced and identified the virulent PRRSV-1 strain AUT15-33 as the closest relative. This case report confirms the diversity of PRRSV and its potential involvement in foetal death in mid-gestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]