In 1971, the Rosicrucian Museum in California received a sealed ancient Egyptian sarcophagus that contained a well-preserved mummy from ancient Egypt.
Two decades later, a team of scientists discovered the shocking truth – the mummy contained evidence of an advanced surgery performed nearly 2,600 years ago. Inside the mummy’s left knee is a 23cm long orthopedic metal screw, inserted by extremely advanced biomechanical techniques not inferior to modern technology today.
Usermontu – mummy of unknown originWhen the Rosicrucian Museum received the sealed ancient coffin in the 1970s, they had no idea that it still contained mummies. And yet, investigations have discovered that this mummy was not the first owner of the sarcophagus – it belonged to a priest named Usermontu (‘power of Montu’) – and for a long time After death, this mummy was placed in Usermontu’s coffin. However, the mummy that came from nowhere is still named after the first owner of the coffin.
Analysis of mummification techniques shows that ‘Usermontu’ was an aristocratic figure in Egypt who lived during the New Kingdom period (between the 16th and 11th centuries BC). His mummy is 1.5m tall and has red hair.
In August 1995, Professor C. Wilfred Griggs of Brigham Young University, Wyoming, USA and a team of other experts, X-rayed six mummies stored at the Rosicrucian Museum, in which There was Usermontu’s mummy, before he gave a lecture here. They were shocked when the footage showed a 23cm long metal screw in the left knee of a mummy.
Ancient or modern?A report by Brigham Young University (BYU) says that just from these X-ray results, it is impossible to conclude that metal implant technology has existed since ancient times. Professor Griggs believes the screw was used to attach the leg to the rest of the body in more modern times.
“I ᴀssume that the screw is a modern artifact. I think we can determine how the screw is inserted into the leg, and maybe even guess at what time it will be implanted in the bone,” Griggs said in a report released by BYU. onion. “I just thought it would be interesting to note, ‘Someone has an ancient mummy and put a modern screw in to connect the leg and the mummy together.”
Decipher the mystery*Determined to find the truth, Griggs, Dr. Richard T. Jackson, an orthopedic surgeon from Provo, and Dr. E. Bruce Mcliff, head of the x-ray department of Utah Valley Medical Center, took great care. The kidney drills into the bone to insert a tiny camera and examine the screw, while also helping to take samples of the bone and metal.
A team of scientists has discovered traces of ancient organic plastic, similar to the bio-cement materials used in shaping today, in addition to the appearance of ancient fats and textile fibers. remains firmly attached to the original position. Further analysis shows that this highly technical trick was performed in ancient times, about 2,600 years ago.
High level orthopedic surgeryThe team was surprised to discover that the screw was similar in design to those used today in bone stabilization procedures.“We were amazed at the ability to create a screw with the principles of biomechanics that we still apply today – such as the principle of hardening of the bone,” said Dr. Richard Jackson said. “It is beyond anything we normally imagine this era.”
According to the BYU report, the screw “penetrates the femur in a spiral structure, similar to the biomechanical method in use today. The other end of the screw is in the tibia, with three raised ridges that extend beyond the body of the nail to prevent the nail from rotating in the bone.”
Before or after death?After this amazing discovery, the question everyone wondered – was the surgery performed while Usermontu was alive, or ᴅᴇᴀᴅ?
A comprehensive study of the joint showed that the nail was implanted after Usermontu’s death but before his mummification. The ancient Egyptians believed in resurrection after death, whereby the body was a vehicle for the soul to dwell in life after death. Therefore, ensuring the body is whole is extremely important. Griggs added that keeping the body in good condition was believed by the Egyptians to be essential for survival