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Scottish Sun
22-05-2025
- Science
- Scottish Sun
Mysterious mummy with face tattoos STILL visible after 800yrs found & scientists are baffled by the ink that was used
Cheek tattoos are rarely discovered - or are easily missed - "due to difficulties in finding preserved skin," according to researchers TAT'S AMAZING Mysterious mummy with face tattoos STILL visible after 800yrs found & scientists are baffled by the ink that was used Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) LONG lost tattoos have been discovered on the face of an 800-year-old South American woman whose remains were donated to an Italian museum nearly a century ago. While humans have been inking ourselves for millennia, according to researchers, the tattoos on this mysterious mummy are unique in several ways. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 A minimalist but uncommon three-line design has been found on her cheeks Credit: Mangiapane et al, Journal of Cultural Heritage, 2025 3 The left cheek was not as well preserved as the right, but there are signs of a tattoo Credit: Mangiapane et al, Journal of Cultural Heritage, 2025 A team of anthropologists and archeologists, led by Gianluigi Mangiapane from the University of Turin in Italy, found unique tattoo designs on the mummy, which had been unusually well preserved. The mummification process has darkened her skin, making the tattoos harder to see. But with an array of imaging techniques, researchers have been able to get a better picture of the unique designs. A minimalist but uncommon three-line design has been found on her cheeks - with the design on the right cheek being better preserved than the one on the right. READ MORE ON ARCHAEOLOGY GATES OF HELL Mysterious giant pink DOOR 'to the underworld' found in 4,400 year old tomb Cheek tattoos are rarely discovered - or are easily missed - "due to difficulties in finding preserved skin," according to researchers. "The three detected lines of tattooing are relatively unique: in general, skin marks on the face are rare among the groups of the ancient Andean region and even rarer on the cheeks," they wrote in their study, published in Journal of Cultural Heritage. An S-shaped tattoo has also been found on one of her wrists - a common placement for tattoos among South American cultures the time. The ink that was used is also pretty unique - consisting of magnetite, a black, metallic, and magnetic iron ore, instead of the usual charcoal. The mummy may therefore present "possibly [the] first evidence" of magnetite used for tattooing in the past in South America. The body was found in a sitting position with no accompanying funerary wrappings, ornaments, or grave goods. Shock footage reveals moment a medieval mummy is seized in house raid But her black hair was well preserved by natural dehydration, while a few pieces of fabric were stuck to the surface of the body. Researchers believe the textiles could be from long lost animal fibres wrappings or bundles. It's unclear where the mummy came from, due to relatively shoddy museum records in the past century. Her remains were donated to the Italian Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography in 1931, with nearly no context besides the donors name. Filed only under 'South American artifacts', the age of the remains, and where they came from, have remained a mystery until now. Researchers were able to date the remains to from 1215 CE to 1382 CE. And there are also some hints as to her origins. The way her body was seated in an upright position suggests a preservation technique known as 'fardo'. The body would have been wrapped tightly in this position with many layers of fabric and then tied in a bundle - a common funerary practice in Paracas culture, of the Andean region on the south coast of Peru.
Scottish Sun
29-04-2025
- General
- Scottish Sun
Mysterious giant pink DOOR ‘to the underworld' is found in 4,400 year old tomb – and it hides a chilling purpose
Scroll down to find out who the tomb belonged to GATES OF HELL Mysterious giant pink DOOR 'to the underworld' is found in 4,400 year old tomb – and it hides a chilling purpose Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MYSTERIOUS giant pink door has been discovered inside a 4,400-year-old tomb, and it's thought to lead directly to the underworld. The entrance was found at the Saqqara Necropolis - an ancient cemetery full of pyramids and tombs - in Cairo, Egypt. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 A giant pink door has been discovered in a 4,400 year old tomb in the Saqqara Necropolis Credit: Jam Press/Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities 7 The discovery was made by a team of Egyptian archaeologists as part of ongoing research work at the site Credit: Jam Press/Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities 7 Statues of previous kings were also found in the tomb Credit: Jam Press/Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities 7 The stunning discovery was made by a team of Egyptian archaeologists as part of ongoing research work at the site. Pictures from the dig show the looming pink door which measures an impressive 15ft tall and 4ft wide. But not all is as it seems. Instead of a functioning door archaeologists have actually uncovered a wall carving which has been cleverly designed to look like an entrance. The carving has been decorated with inscriptions of the late tomb owner's name and grand titles, dating back to the 26th dynasty. The names include Hereditary Prince, Governor of the Buto and Nekhbet Regions, Royal Scribe, Minister, Judge, and Chanting Priest. Ancient Egyptians believed that the soul of the deceased could freely enter and exit the tomb through such a door. The tomb is thought to have belonged to Prince Userefre - the son of the Egyptian pharaoh Userkaf, who reigned during Egypt's Fifth Dynasty. The prince's burial chamber has not yet been found but excavations of the site are ongoing. King Userkaf was the founder and first king of the fifth dynasty, making this discovery particularly significant for understanding royal lineages. Mystery new 'city' found underneath Egypt's Pyramids stretching 6,500ft BELOW surface in shock discovery, scientists say Dr Zahi Hawass, an archaeologist, said that archaeologists also found a statue of King Djoser, his wife and his ten daughters inside the tomb. King Djoser reigned before King Userkaf. The inscriptions in the tomb also suggest that it may have been reused years after the prince's burial. Secretary-general of Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities Dr Mohamed Ismail Khaled said this was the first time a false door made of pink granite of this size has been found. The door was discovered as part of a joint Egyptian mission - led by the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the Zahi Hawass Foundation for Antiquities and Heritage. This comes after archaeologists discovered the first royal tomb since Tutankhamen was uncovered more than 100 years ago. The long-lost burial place of King Thutmose II was found close to a vast burial ground known as The Valley of the Kings in Luxor. The entrance to the tomb and its main passage were initially discovered in 2022, but continued excavations found evidence linking it to the Pharaoh. Fragments of vases inscribed with the Pharaoh's name were found in the tomb, identifying Thutmose II as the 'deceased king'. Sections of a religious text and blue paint and yellow stars that were placed in the tomb of kings were also found. Archaeologists uncovered Thutmose II's mummified remains two centuries ago not far from his tomb, but the original burial site had never been found until now. The tomb was discovered as part of a joint British-Egyptian archaeological mission, and is the last missing tomb of the kings of the 18th dynasty in Egypt. King Tut's tomb is one of best preserved of all those found in The Valley of Kings, and made front pages around the world when it was discovered. The tomb was discovered by English archaeologist Howard Carter, who set about finding and excavating it in 1915. He eventually found the site of the pharaoh's remains in November 1922, but it took another three months before the archaeologist finally found the sarcophagus itself. But there was a dark side to the story – following the unearthing of Tutankhamun's remains, various figures connected with the expedition died in mysterious circumstances. These included Lord Canarvon, the financial backer of the excavation team, who died from an infected mosquito bite. Sir Archibald Douglas-Reid, who X-rayed the pharaoh's remains, was killed by a mystery illness. Carter himself died in 1939 from Hodgkin's Disease aged 64. 7 Carved hieroglyphs found inside the tomb Credit: Jam Press/Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities 7 A red granite offering table found in the tomb Credit: Jam Press/Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
