The mummified remains of a young teenage girl, aged between 14 and 17 years old, have unveiled a tragic story of childbirth-related death that occurred nearly 1,500 years ago in Egypt. Archaeologists made a horrifying and extraordinary discovery when they found one fetus and placenta trapped in the pelvic area of the mummy, with another fetus found in her chest. These findings shed light on the unresolved complications faced by women during childbirth in ancient times.
Tragic Discovery: Teenage Mummy Unearthed with Fatal Birth Complications
In 1908, the body of the teenage mother was unearthed at Egypt’s Kharga Oasis, specifically at the El Bagawat cemetery. The head of the first baby was stuck in the birth canal, resulting in the deaths of both infants and the young mother. Researchers noted that the mummy had been preserved using a significant amount of salt, an ancient Egyptian practice known for its desiccating properties. This technique effectively dried out the entire body. The mummy belonged to the Late Dynasty of ancient Egyptian history, dating back to 404-343 BC.
According to the study authors, this tragic case is classified as “traumatic fetal decapitation,” a rare consequence of breech presentations, where the baby’s feet come out first during childbirth. The entrapment of the baby’s head in the birth canal proved fatal for both the infants and the young mother. The researchers relied on field notes dating back to 1908, which documented the initial work of archaeologists. These notes revealed the process involved unwrapping the body, removing the arms, macerating the femora, and making an incision on the abdomen.
Recent Advances in Understanding
In a recent study published in the International Journal of Ostearchaeology, scientists revisited the mummy and used computed tomography (CT) scans to uncover the details of this horrifying incident. Contrary to initial assumptions, the scans revealed the presence of a second fetus within the woman’s chest cavity.
Francine Margolis, one of the study authors, expressed the rarity of this find, stating, “There are several examples of women dying during childbirth in the archaeological record (one was a twin pregnancy). However, there has never been one found in Egypt.”
During the investigation, researchers discovered that the baby between the woman’s legs was missing its head. Closer examination revealed that the infant’s head was still lodged in the mother’s pelvis, indicating that the fetus had been decapitated during delivery. The breech position further complicated the passage through the birth canal.
The Mystery of the Second Fetus
The second fetus found in the woman’s chest cavity puzzled researchers. They speculated that embalmers might have been unaware of the twin pregnancy, thus neglecting to remove the second fetus before mummification. As the mummy’s diaphragm dissolved, the unborn twin could have migrated from the womb to the chest cavity.
Researchers suggested, “One possibility is that the second fetus was not known to exist to anyone at the time, including the embalmers. It was uncommon in this later Dynastic period to remove organs during the mummification process.”
The burial of the young teenage girl alongside her decapitated baby in a tomb led experts to speculate that she might have been unaware of her pregnancy with twins. This tragic discovery highlights the dangers and complications associated with childbirth in ancient times, particularly in twin births, which were viewed unfavorably in ancient Egypt. The cultural aversion to twin births is evident in ancient Egyptian spells and incantations seeking protection against “irregular birth” and delivering twins. The story of this young mother and her unborn twins serves as a somber reminder of the challenges faced during childbirth in antiquity.
