Scientists Reconstruct Face of Ancient Egyptian Priestess Who Sang to the Gods 2,800 Years Ago
READ MORE: Ancient Egyptians had surprising FOREIGN roots, study finds The 'elegant' face of an ancient Egyptian priestess whose singing was said to be able to calm the gods can be seen for the first time in 2,800 years. Meresamun had a role of 'high religious prestige' in the inner sanctum of the temple at Karnak before she died in mysterious circumstances. Buried in a luxurious coffin, her mummy was purchased in 1920 by American archaeologist James Henry Breasted, and never opened. Now her living face can be seen for the first time since the iron age, after CT scans were used to peer inside her wrappings. Cicero Moraes, lead author of the new study, used scan data from the mummy's skull to recreate Meresamun's likeness. 'She looks elegant,' he said. 'The reconstruction presents a harmonious and serene face, with features that suggest dignity and gentleness. 'While any aesthetic interpretation involves a deg...