Modern Science Unlocks Mummy’s Secrets
Caroline Cobert, a senior and Biology and Classics Major at the University of Richmond, has always been fascinated with the science and history of Ancient Egypt. Where has this fascination led her? To use the most current scientific methods and technology available to unlock secrets of a 2,700 year old mummy, Ti Ameny Net.
The mummy Ti Ameny Net, has been part of the permanent collection of the University of Richmond since 1876. When Caroline arrived at U of R her freshman year and discovered the University had a mummy, she immediately embarked on a project combining her two majors and resulting in a fascinating exhibition “Ti Ameny Net: An Ancient Mummy, an Egyptian Woman and Modern Science” at the Lora Robins Gallery of Design from Nature. The exhibition will run February 23 to June 29, 2012.
Watch this video to find out more about Caroline’s scientific journey with Ti Ameny Net.
What scientific methods were used?
Caroline worked with her classical studies professor Elizabeth Baughan and biology professor April Hill, to use new scientific technology to complete advanced scans of Ti Ameny Net and to obtain bone samples for DNA mapping, a test that has only recently been performed on a more famous mummy, King Tut. One of Caroline’s first steps was to conduct a variety of control experiments to prove that she could amplify DNA from mummified material. In order to ensure the best chances of securing a viable sample, she mummified two rats to practice her DNA extraction techniques. For this mummification process, she carefully tried to mimic the ancient Egyptian sacred practice.
Cobert then collaborated with Dr. Ann Fulcher, Director of Radiology at VCU Medical Center to retrieve the bone sample for the DNA analysis and to make full body x-rays and CT scans of the mummy. The scans resulted in over 25,000 images of Ti Ameny Net and provided many fascinating insights into the life and death of this ancient Egyptian woman.
What secrets of Ti Ameny Net’s life were revealed?
“There are so many things we can learn from ancient peoples,” Caroline states. “We can look at DNA and CT scan analysis to discover how they lived, what diseases they might have had, what their nutrition was like and how they died. It’s sometimes hard to connect a 3,000-year-old body that we stare at in a museum with an actual living human being, but I think it’s important that we do that. Science is revealing her stories and history to us. We need to listen.”
Come to look, listen, and explore the exhibition “Ti Ameny Net: An Ancient Mummy, an Egyptian Woman and Modern Science” at the Lora Robins Gallery of Design from Nature, University of Richmond. You can also hear Caroline Cobert and Dr. Ann Fulcher discuss the project on February 29, 6-7 p.m. The Gallery will be hosting a University Museums Family Day with tours, activities and refreshments on April 1 from 12-3 p.m.
Article by: Debbie Mickle, Science Matters Project Manager
I have an 11-year-old daughter with an autistic disorder. She is a very curious girl and recently visited Ti-Ameny-Net at the museum with her class. She very much wants to write a book about this Ancient mummy woman. She has even made up a song about her. :-) It's pretty funny but good. It's called "Turn the Lights Off". I need to get all the true facts about her so she can use them in writing a fictional story but with as much true information about her "Best dead friend" in her words. :-)
Are there any tips you can give me, places we can find more information, papers or articles she can read or web sites we can visit to help her write her story and get as educated as possible in regard to Ti Ameny Net. She already knows many facts about her and loves to tell everyone about her. She wants to tell the whole world. :-) Thank you in advance for any information you can provide for my little girl, Mila. Melynda Hancock
Hi Mila and Melynda!
I am so pleased that you enjoyed our exhibition, "Ti-Ameny-Net", at the Lora Robins Gallery! The LRG has a teaching gallery in conjunction with the "Ti-Ameny-Net" exhibit that has many great books on ancient Egypt and mummies, for more general reference. My favorites when I was young included the "Eyewitness: Mummies" book, which has fabulous pictures and facts, and an older book called "How to Make A Mummy Talk", which is sadly out of print but available on Amazon. This book contained a list of mummies in museums around the country and the world, for your further adventures!
For Ti-Ameny-Net in particular, I can recommend our Classics Department website, with "Tia's" personal pages here: http://classics.richmond.edu/collections/museum/egyptian-catalog/mummy/i... . In the near future this website will be undergoing a lot of changes to reflect new insights into Ti-Ameny-Net as detailed in our exhibition, so please look forward to a lot of great additions!
Exhibits like this were what originally inspired me as a child to go into mummy research. I am so thrilled that you, Mila, have also been so inspired by this exhibit! If you have any other questions about "Tia" or mummies in general, please feel free to contact me at caroline.cobert@gmail.com. Good luck with your book, and I'd love to read it when you've finished!
Best,
Caroline Cobert, student curator of "Ti-Ameny-Net: An Ancient Mummy, An Egyptian Woman, and Modern Science"
Hello Mila and Melynda! Thank you for visiting the exhibition "Ti-Ameny-Net: An Ancient Mummy, An Egyptian Woman, and Modern Science" at the Lora Robins Gallery, University of Richmond Museums. I am so thrilled to hear how "Tia" inspired you to write a song and a book. At U of R, we have all been very inspired by her too! For more information about "Tia" you can check out the UR Classics Department website:http://classics.richmond.edu/ The Classics Department has taken care of "Tia" for many years and they have conducted the most research on her.
If mummies and Ancient Egypt are interesting to you, check out the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA). They have a mummy there and many very interesting Egyptian artifacts which are on permanent display. Here is their website: www.vmfa.state.va.us
A couple of books that you should check out are: Egyptology: Search for the Tomb of Osiris by Emily Sands. And the Eyewitness book on Ancient Egypt by George Hart. Both of these books can be found on Amazon.com or at Barnes and Noble bookstore. Best, Heather Campbell Curator of Museum Programs University of Richmond Museums
Mme Colambat shared this information with me. I am delighted that she did so and am very pleased that you have found a fascinating subject to pursue - an itch, if you will. Well done, Caroline. Please let us know where and what you are driven to explore next.
Best wishes and congratulations! - Judy Waters, RPCS
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