Unravelling the mystery of the 'Screaming Mummy': Egyptian woman died screeching in agony 3,500 years ago - before her body was embalmed with her mouth still wide open, analysis reveals

When it comes to death, astir of america would dream for a serene and pain-free passing.

So spare a thought for this Egyptian mummy, who apt died screaming successful agony 3,500 years ago, according to researchers.

The mummy was first discovered successful 1935, erstwhile an archaeological expedition unearthed a woody coffin located beneath nan tomb of nan designer Senmut, who died successful 1464BCE.

The coffin held nan mummified assemblage of an unidentified female wearing a achromatic wig and 2 scarab rings successful metallic and golden – but what struck archaeologists nan astir was her expression.

With nan rima wide open, arsenic if locked successful a wail, they dubbed her nan 'Screaming Woman'.

Now, researchers person utilized nan astir precocious technological techniques to analyse nan mummy and study astir her life and death.

Advanced scanning techniques revealed nan female was lying facing upwards pinch her legs extended and her hands folded supra nan groin.

She lacked respective teeth – apt mislaid earlier decease – and she would person been astir 1.54 metres gangly successful life.

CT images estimated that she was astir 48 years aged astatine nan clip of her decease and had suffered from mild arthritis of nan spine.

Analysis revealed that nan Screaming Woman had been embalmed pinch juniper and frankincense – costly materials that had to beryllium imported into Egypt.

The rarity and costs of embalming materials seems to norm retired that nan mummification process had been sloppy and that nan embalmers had simply neglected to adjacent her mouth, nan researchers said.

Dr Sahar Saleem, 1 of nan study's authors from Cairo University, said: 'The mummy's screaming facial look successful this study could beryllium publication arsenic a cadaveric spasm, implying that nan female died screaming from agony aliases pain.'

Cadaveric tense is simply a uncommon shape of muscular stiffening, typically associated pinch convulsive deaths nether utmost beingness conditions and aggravated emotion.

'The Screaming Woman is simply a existent clip capsule of nan measurement that she died and was mummified,' Dr Saleem added.

The findings, published successful nan diary Frontiers successful Medicine, besides show location was nary evident origin of death.

The mummy was besides discovered pinch her brain, diaphragm, heart, lungs, liver, spleen, kidneys and intestine still present.

This was a surprise, was nan classical method of mummification successful nan New Kingdom – betwixt 1550 and 1069 BCE – included nan removal of each specified organs isolated from nan heart.