A recent study spearheaded by Sahar Saleem, a radiology professor at Cairo University, has illuminated the enigma of the “Screaming Woman” mummy, unearthed in 1935 at an archaeological site in Deir el-Bahari near Luxor, Egypt. Through CT scans enabling a “virtual dissection,” researchers have posited that the woman, approximately 48 years old at her death, might have suffered a rare muscular stiffening known as cadaveric spasm, which fixes the facial expression in a moment of deathly agony.

The analysis indicated that the woman had endured mild spinal arthritis and tooth loss. Her body, preserved for around 3,500 years since the New Kingdom era of ancient Egypt, was embalmed using costly imports like juniper oil and frankincense resin. Deviating from standard mummification customs, her internal organs, heart excluded, were left intact.

“In ancient Egypt, embalmers meticulously prepared the deceased for the afterlife, ensuring a presentable appearance. They were particularly attentive to securing the jaw to the head, tying it to prevent the typical postmortem sag,” explained Saleem.

The embalming materials’ quality and the presence of lavish burial garments, such as two rings of gold and silver and a wig crafted from date palm fibres, negated the theory of haphazard mummification or oversight in mouth closure. These findings prompted the consideration of alternative causes for the open mouth, like death in a state of scream-induced agony, with facial muscles locked by cadaveric spasms.

Discovered within a wooden sarcophagus beneath Senmut’s family tomb, an esteemed figure who served as architect and royal works overseer, and purported confidant of Queen Hatshepsut, the “Screaming Woman’s” true identity is veiled, yet her adornments imply a status of considerable social importance.