Forensics reveal stunning face of ancient Egypt's 'Mysterious Lady' mummy

Egypt has long been a source of curiosity for archeologists across the world, for its well-preserved remains of the dead -- mummies. The civilisation has been under the scanner for decades with ancient tombs, and buried cities being revealed from time to time and technology has now enabled researchers to put a face to the dead.

Forensic experts have now managed to create a life-like face of a mummy, who is known as the mysterious lady.

WHO IS EGYPT'S MYSTERIOUS LADY?
The Mysterious Lady is an ancient Egyptian woman, who was pregnant at the time of her death and her true identity has baffled researchers for years. She was in the seventh month of her pregnancy and researchers have conducted numerous digital renders and segmentation of the fetus.

Analysis of the mummy revealed that while the internal organs had been removed, the fetus was left in place, baffling researchers as to why? Researchers speculate that it could have been done in accordance with the ancient beliefs that a child belongs to its mother as long as it is in her womb.

Researchers part of the Warsaw Mummy Project are aiming to re-humanize mummified individuals by presenting how they would have looked during their lifetime.

Two forensic experts have now crafted facial reconstructions of the mysterious lady using both 2D and 3D techniques. The woman is expected to have died in her 20s during pregnancy and researchers had recently discovered that there was a likelihood she was suffering from cancer.

“Our bones and the skull, in particular, give a lot of information about the face of an individual. Although it cannot be considered an exact portrait, the skull, like many anatomical parts is unique and shows a set of shapes and proportions that partially will appear in the final face” Chantal Milani, an Italian forensic anthropologist and member of the project, said in a Facebook update.


Researchers believe that the story of the Egyptian woman touches on the most crucial aspects of life: birth and death and goes on to explore the after-death fate of the mother and her unborn child. Forensics have unveiled the facial reconstruction in an exhibition at the Silesia Museum in Katowice.

"For the first time, her probable look was revealed to the general public and now everyone will be able to gaze into her eyes. For ancient Egyptians, like us, the face was an integral part of one’s identity. By reconstructing their faces, we are bringing them back to life and restoring their identities," the Warsaw Mummy Project Human, said in a statement.