Researchers recently digitally unwrapped the mummified remains of a teenage boy (Golden Boy), who had been buried in the basement of a museum for more than 100 years. They discovered a wealth of amulets and plants that adorned his body.
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In the journal Frontiers in Medicine, the team of researchers revealed that the unnamed teenager, aged 14 or 15, passed into eternity wearing white sandals. Using a computed tomography (CT) scan, scientists were able to penetrate the sarcophagus and gain an in-depth view of intricate details, such as bone structure, blood vessels, soft tissues and more through X-ray representations.
Sahar Saleem, a radiologist at Cairo University in Egypt and first author of the paper, said: “The body of this mummy was adorned with 49 amulets that were skillfully placed in three columns between its wrappings and inside the corpse. It is quite remarkable that these have been incorporated in a uniquely evocative way.” The mummy was named “Golden Boy.”
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Saleem points out that Golden Boy's adornments are consistent with various rituals described in the Egyptian Book of the Dead, such as sandals. Adorned with three columns of amulets between the layers of his wrapping, he had small trinkets such as a golden scarab beetle inside his chest and an amulet with two copies of the Eye of Horus next to his penis. Many of these ornaments were made of precious metals for optimal protection. All of his organs had been removed except for his heart, while topography revealed that he still had healthy teeth.
In 1916, the remains of the Golden Boy were first discovered in Nag el Hassaya – a cemetery located in Edfu. The body was transferred to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and has remained there ever since. As the boy was buried with a luxurious, gilded mask, it is believed that he belonged to a prominent family during the Ptolemaic period from 330 BC to 30 BC. Although the exact cause of his death remains unknown, the investigation shows that there is no evidence of foul play.
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The ancient Egyptians firmly believed that life did not cease to exist after death; on the contrary, they believed in an eternal afterlife. The ancient Egyptians believed that mummification and adornment of the dead body with ornaments, amulets, and plants would aid the spirit on its journey to the afterlife. Golden Boy offers a fascinating look at funerary practices and the symbolism of ornaments during the life of this young boy in Ptolemaic Ancient Egypt.
After extensive research, the Egyptian Museum has decided to move the Golden Boy from its underground storage facility and display it in the main exhibition hall. This new exhibition will allow visitors to admire this extraordinary artifact up close.
