First Greek Mummy Once Led Privileged Life

Rossella Lorenzi
The Perks of Privilege

Aug. 8, 2008 -- The first evidence of artificial mummification in ancient Greece lies in a lead coffin at the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki, according to a Swiss-Greek research team.

Dating to 300 A.D., when the Romans ruled Greece, the partially mummified remains belong to a middle-aged woman. Her Roman-type marble sarcophagus was unearthed in 1962 during archaeological excavations in the eastern cemetery of Thessaloniki, which was used from the Hellenistic to the Byzantine Periods for burials and other rituals.

Wrapped in bandages and covered with a gold-embroidered purple silk cloth, the woman lay on a wooden pallet.

"Besides the clothes, remnants of soft tissue as well as the individual's original hairstyle and eyebrows were exceptionally well preserved," Christina Papageorgopoulou of the University of Zurich and colleagues wrote in a paper to be published in the Journal of Archaeological Science shortly.

Using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray analysis, gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, the researchers discovered the probable means of mummification.

"The embalming technology was quite sophisticated," said study co-leader Frank Rohli, head of the Swiss Mummy Project. "We found different chemical components, mostly originating from oils. There were also spices. It looks like the embalming technique was partially taken over from the Egyptians."

Up to now, only written historic sources referred to embalming in ancient Greece. For instance, Alexander the Great is reported to have been preserved in beeswax.

The analysis of the mummified remains showed the presence of various substances including myrrh, fats and resins.

"This is the first time that such substances were identified in material from this specific geographical and temporal setting," the researchers concluded. Although there are no written accounts describing the practice of mummification in ancient Greece, it is known that the Greeks were familiar with the extraction of essential oils and resins from the plants and were aware of their antimicrobial and bactericidal properties.

The researchers believe the lead coffin might have helped protect the mummy. However, since no lead -- a natural disinfectant -- was found within the tissues, the coffin did not play a key role in the preservation process.

Made specifically for this corpse, the lead coffin indicates a high social status. "This is also confirmed by minimum osteoarthritic lesions and complete lack of musculoskeletal stress markers. It suggests less intense labor activities during life," Rohli told Discovery News.

Analysis of the mummified remains revealed that the woman was between 50 and 60 years of age and 5 foot 3 inches tall. She had brown hair and good oral hygiene and did not suffer from infectious disease, inflammation or malnutrition. Some mystery, however, remains.

"We could not determine the cause of death," said Rohli.