Is ancestry, not natron, an explanation for fair haired children in Greco-Roman Egypt?

In an examination of three unwrapped mummified children from the Graeco-Roman Period of ancient Egypt there was an unexpected finding of fair hair. In the majority of unwrapped ancient Egyptian mummified bodies the hair was not fair but rather dark brown or black. To determine if exposure to natron during the mummification process was responsible for the fair hair color an experiment was carried out to partially replicate the environment in which bodies were desiccated. Fourteen samples of modern hair from various age groups, sex and ethnicity were subjected to synthetic natron for a period of 40 days to replicate the time taken to mummify a body. Macroscopic and microscopic examinations of samples were employed to ascertain any significant changes in hair color after treatment. Ancient wigs were studied for evidence of post mortem changes to hair color since construction over 2,000 years ago. Results of the study showed no significant lightening of hair color and in several samples the hair significantly darkened as the result of exposure to the natron. There was not any evidence that hair lightened as the result of natural post mortem changes and this was confirmed by the study of the natural hair wigs that had not changed color post mortem. This study concluded that the fair hair observed in the three child mummies was not the result of exposure to natron or post mortem changes but rather it was probably due to ancestry because of the presence of diverse genomes that were introduced into ancient Egypt during the Greco-Roman Period.

The advantage of CT scans and 3D visualizations in the analysis of three child mummies from the Graeco-Roman Period.

Three child mummies from the Graeco-Roman Period (332 BCE - c. 395 CE) were examined using CT scans and 3D visualizations generated with Vitrea 2 and MIMICS graphic workstations with the aim of comparing the results with previous X-ray examinations performed by Dawson and Gray in 1968. Although the previous analyses reported that the children had been excerebrated and eviscerated, no evidence of incisions or breaches of the cranial cavity were found; 3D visualizations were generated showing the brain and the internal organs to be in situ. A larger number of skeletal post-mortem damages were identified, such as dislocation of mandible, ribs, and vertebrae, probably suffered at the time of embalming procedure. Different radio-opaque granular particles were observed throughout bodies (internally and externally) and could be explained as presence of natron, used as external desiccating agent by the embalmers, or as adipocerous alteration, a natural alteration of body fat. Age-at-death was estimated using the 3D visualization of the teeth, the state of fusion of the vertebrae and the presence of the secondary centers of the long bones: two mummies died at the age of 4 years ± 12 months, the third one at the age of 6 years ± 24 months. Hyperdontia or polydontia, a dental anomaly, could also be identified in one child using 3D visualizations of the teeth: two supernumerary teeth were found behind the maxillary permanent central incisors which had not been noticed in the Dawson and Gray's X-ray analysis. In conclusion, CT-scan investigations and especially 3D visualizations are important tools in the non-invasive analysis of the mummies and, in this case, provided revised and additional information compared to the only X-ray examination.

The value of CT imaging of Horus in determining the method of mummification and the sex of the mummy.

INTRODUCTION: Radiology was used to determine the sex of a child mummy who had conflicting records based on two different translations of a name written in a section of papyrus inserted into the mummy wrappings and also to determine the type of mummification used to preserve the body. METHODS: Ancient texts of Herodotus and Diodorus Siculus were consulted for references to mummification, and Nicholson Museum records provided details of the mummy which was examined at Central Sydney Imaging using Toshiba Aquilion 64 CT machine (Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation, Tochigi, Japan). The original CT scan data were loaded into a Vitrea 2 (Vital Images, Minnetonka, MN, USA) workstation at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Melbourne, Australia, for further study. RESULTS: The scans showed that the child had been elaborately mummified according to ancient descriptions albeit with one variation. The provenance of the child was unknown but stylistically appeared to be from the Greco-Roman Period of ancient Egypt. Interpretation of the CT images determined that the child was male, had died of unknown cause and had been excerebrated and eviscerated post-mortem when the heart was removed. Unexplained inclusions were identified within the abdomen and thorax. Broken and displaced ribs showed evidence of a previous endoscopic investigation. CONCLUSION: This study provided evidence that CT scanning was an excellent non-invasive modality to evaluate ancient mummies in its ability to demonstrate fine anatomical detail and identify post-mortem changes. The study underlined the role of using current medical practice to determine sex rather than relying on ancient texts and uncorroborated opinion.

Getting the focus right: New Zealand baby boomers and advertisements for glasses.

Although baby boomers constitute an attractive market segment in terms of spending power and size, they have been largely ignored and/or misunderstood by advertisers. This article presents the results of qualitative research into New Zealand baby boomers' responses to advertisements for glasses as a specific health-related product. Key themes emphasize an advertisement's "relate-ability"; the use of "real" characters; the importance of narrative in engaging the viewer; and the standout design elements of information intensity, humor, and point of difference. Themes are related to advertisements for glasses and illustrated in a mock-up "ideal ad" for glasses. Finally, practical recommendations are made for more effective advertising of glasses to baby boomers.

Perceptions of glasses as a health care product: a pilot study of New Zealand baby boomers.

Marketers have been slow to customize their strategies for the influential consumer segment of aging baby boomers. This qualitative research provides insights on New Zealand baby boomers' perceptions of glasses as a health care product. Appearance was a dominant theme; status was not a major concern, although style and fashion were. Wearing glasses had negative associations related to aging; however, both male and female participants recognized that glasses offered improved quality of life. Data relating to the theme of expense indicated that these New Zealand baby boomers made sophisticated perceptual associations and subsequent pragmatic trade-offs between price, quality, and style.