Egyptian Mummies and Modern Science

by Rosalie David

Overview

Egyptian mummies have always aroused popular and scientific interest; however, most modern studies, although significantly increased in number and range, have been published in specialist journals. Now, this unique book, written by a long-established team of scientists based at the University of Manchester (England), brings this exciting, cross-disciplinary area of research to a wider readership. Its main aim is to show how this team's multidisciplinary, investigative methods and the unique resource of the Egyptian Mummy Tissue Bank are being used for the new major international investigations of disease evolution and ancient Egyptian pharmacy and pharmacology. It also assesses the current status of palaeopathology and ancient DNA research, and treatments available for conserving mummified remains. Descriptions of the historical development of Egyptian mummifications and medicine and detailed references to previous scientific investigations provide the context for firsthand accounts of cutting-edge research by prominent specialists in this field, demonstrating how these techniques can contribute to a new perspective on Egyptology.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521865791
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	02/04/2008
Pages:	326
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.79(d)

Table of Contents

Part I. An Introduction to the Scientific Study of Mummies: 1. The background of the Manchester Mummy Project Rosalie David; 2. Egyptian mummies: an overview Rosalie David; Part II. Diet, Disease and Death in Ancient Egypt: Diagnostic and Investigative Techniques: 3. Imaging in Egyptian mummies Judith E. Adams and Chrissie W. Alsop; 4. Endoscopy and mummy research Ken Wildsmith; 5. Dental health and disease in ancient Egypt Judith Miller; 6. Slices of mummy: a histologist's perspective John Denton; 7. Palaeopathology at the beginning of the new millennium Maria Jeziorska; 8. The use of immunocytochemistry to diagnose disease Patricia Rutherford; 9. DNA identification in mummies and associated material Patricia Rutherford; 10. An introduction to analytical methods Andrew P. Gize; 11. The facial reconstruction of ancient Egyptians Caroline M. Wilkinson; Part III. The Treatment of Disease in Ancient Egypt: 12. The ancient Egyptian medical system Rosalie David; 13. Intoxicants in ancient Egypt? Opium, nymphea, coca and tobacco David C. Counsell; 14. Pharmacy in ancient Egypt Jacqueline M. Campbell; Part IV. Resources for Studying Mummies: 15. The International Ancient Egyptian Mummy Tissue Bank Rosalie David; 16. Conservation treatment for mummies Antony E. David; Part V. The Future of Biomedical and Scientific Studies in Egyptology: 17. Biomedical Egyptology: some future possibilities and contributions Rosalie David.

Editorial Reviews

"A rare book delivers far more than its cover and Rosalie David's recent book does just that." -International Journal of Osteoarchaeology

From the Publisher