2008-03-31T02:51:00.000-07:00

Temple Dancer turned to be King's Son

Researchers claim to have identified an Egyptian mummy exhibit in Britain as a son of the powerful Pharaoh Ramsses II.
Using CT scanning, they solved the mystery of the 3,000-year-old mummy kept on display at Bolton Museum for 80 years, which was earlier thought to be that of a female temple dancer.
According to the researchers, the CT scan results showed the mummy's features reminiscent of the Egyptian royal family. It is one of the 110 children Ramsses is thought to have fathered, they concluded.
In fact, test results revealed that the mummy had a pronounced over-bite and misaligned eyes, akin to members of the 19th Dynasty, and his facial measurements were found to be almost identical to those of Ramsses himself.
Even chemical analysis showed that the body had been embalmed using expensive materials, including pistachio resin and thyme, the preserve of priests and royalty, the research team said.
They estimated that the mummified man died in his thirties between 1295 and 1186 BC of a wasting disease, likely to be cancer.

2008-03-11T08:27:00.000-07:00

The Exclusive of 2007

The Mummy of King Hatshepsut the find of the century

The mummy of Hatshepsut, one of ancient Egypt's most famous female pharaohs, has been positively identified. Hatshepsut was the daughter of Tuthmose I and Princes Ahmose, both of royal origin; she was the favourite of their three children. When her two brothers died, she was in the unique position to gain the throne upon the death of her father.

To have a female pharaoh was unprecedented and probably most definitely unheard of as well. When Tuthmose I passed away, his son by a minor wife (Mwt Nofret), Tuthmose II, technically ascended the throne. For the few years of his reign, however, Hatshepsut seems to have held the reign.

From markings on his mummy, archaeologists believe Tuthmose II had a skin disease, and he died after ruling only three or four years. Hatshepsut, his half sister and wife, just gave birth to 3 daughters, but he had a son from a minor wife Isis. This son, Tuthmose III, was supposed to ascend the throne, but due to his age Hatshepsut was allowed to reign as a co-regent.

Hatshepsut was not one to sit back and wait for her nephew to age enough to take her place. As a favourite daughter of a popular pharaoh, and as a charismatic and beautiful lady in her own right, she was able to command enough of a following to actually take control as pharaoh. She ruled for about 15 years, until her death in 1458 BC, and left behind more monuments and works of art than any Egyptian queen to come.

Hatshepsut was a master politician and an elegant stateswoman as she claimed to have been handpicked by her father, above her two brothers and her half-brother. In her temple are written the story of her divine birth.

This propaganda worked well to cement Hatshepsut's position. But as Tuthmose III grew, her sovereignty grew tenuous. He not only resented his lack of authority, but no doubt harboured only ill will towards his step-mother's consort Senmut.

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