Scientists have reconstructed the face of the "Golden Boy," a mysterious teenage mummy buried with 49 amulets in Egypt 2000 years ago. Photo
Scientists have reconstructed the face of a mysterious teenage mummy who was buried with 49 amulets in Egypt more than 2000 years ago. Thanks to modern technology, you can now see the true face of the "Golden Boy"
Using data from a 2023 study that "virtually unwrapped" the mummy using CT scans, experts were able to restore the young man's skull. The lead author of the new study, Cicero Morais, used a combination of methods to recreate the mummy's living face, DailyMail reports.
Computed tomography was used to see the mummified remains.
Source: Saleem
"With the existing skull, it was possible to design structures such as the nose and the soft tissue boundaries along the face. I also used the anatomical deformation technique. This involves fitting a virtual donor's head to the mummy's skull until the donor's face is compatible with the one the Golden Boy might have had in life. By crossing all of this data, the final bust could be created," said Cicero Morais, a Brazilian 3D designer specializing in computer-aided facial reconstruction.
During the preliminary study, it was possible to see the skull of the boy.
Source: Saleem
The author of the reconstruction added that the end result of his work was "a young man of pleasant appearance, in whose eyes there was still innocence."
The innocent face of a teenager.
Source: Cicero Morais
Morais created two versions of a living face. One is closed-eyed and in grayscale to avoid judging skin tone or eye color. The other is colored, with eyes open, giving the teenager a Mediterranean look.
According to a 2023 study, the Golden Boy was approximately 14-15 years old when he died. However, no evidence of injury or illness was found, so the cause of death could not be determined. It is also unknown who the boy was.
However, it was found that the "Golden Boy" was buried in a cemetery of the Ptolemaic period, which lasted from 305 B.C. to 30 B.C. At this time, the pharaohs were of Macedonian-Greek origin.
A golden amulet of a scarab beetle was found in the chest cavity.
Source: Frontiers Press
The researchers were most interested in the amulets that the teenager was wearing. According to experts, the jewelry was a talisman for the afterlife. The stone that was in the boy's mouth was supposed to ensure that he would be able to speak in the afterlife, while others were supposed to ensure his resurrection or call for the protection of the goddess Isis, scientists say.
Amulets were placed all over the body (even on the penis) and shoved inside the dead young man.
Source: Frontiers Press
Interestingly, 30 amulets were made of gold, while others were made of quartz, semi-precious stones, or fired clay.
According to the researchers, the boy was buried in two wooden coffins – one with Greek letters and the other decorated with various drawings and faces. Such a "lavish" burial indicates a "high socio-economic status," experts emphasize.
The "Golden Boy" was buried in two coffins that are kept in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
Source: Frontiers Press
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