false toes, dating back to ancient Egypt- the world's earliest-known prosthetic devices.

Two false toes, dating back to ancient Egypt, are believed to be the world's earliest-known prosthetic devices. Both are big toes from the right foot, and both were found near present-day Luxor. One toe, found in the 19th century, is thought to have been made in about 600 BC. It is crafted from one piece of cartonnage - a linen and animal glue version of papier-mache. The other toe dates back to between 950 and 710 BC. It was found attached to the foot of a mummy in a tomb just over ten years ago. This toe is comprised of three pieces, two are wood, the other possibly leather. It had been suggested that because ancient Egyptians believed the body should be prepared for the afterlife in a complete state, the toes were purely decorative. But new research by Dr. Jacky Finch at the KHN Centre for Biomedical Egyptology at the University of Manchester, England, proves otherwise. The toes were recreated to fit amputee volunteers and tested for flex, pressure, gait and comfort. Both performed remarkably well as functioning prosthetic toes so artificial big toes were likely used by their owners for walking, and not simply placed on their dead bodies for religious or ritualistic reasons .

Comments

The bindweeds of Egypt and their symbolic role for the deceased

http://www.egyptraveluxe.com/cairo_half_day_tour_to_cairo_egyptian_museum.php From the Middle Kingdom until the 18th Dynasty, representations are found of a parasitic bindweed associated with the stems of papyrus, . Its representations increase and refine themselves during the Amarnian period because of the naturalistic leaning to nature; but it is in Ramesside times, and more particularly that of Ramesses II, that the images become more beautiful and most detailed. The plant is frequently attached to the stem of the papyrus, or to bouquets, but being also able to, more rarely, exist separately. After the 20th Dynasty, if the theme persists, the quality of the representations decrease (as do all more representations of nature). This success under the Ramesseses is probably linked with the specific beliefs of that time, and notably the eminent place that the solar cults occupy. The nature of the plant has been under debate a long time ...

US authorities return eight stolen ancient Egyptian artifacts

US authorities agreed to return eight ancient Egyptian artifacts stolen and illegally smuggled out of the country. Today, upon his arrival from the United States, Minister of Antiquities Mohamed Ibrahim announced that US authorities agreed to return eight ancient Egyptian artefacts stolen and illegally smuggled out of the country. The objects are to arrive next month. The pieces include the upper part of a painted anthropoid wooden sarcophagus from the Third Intermediate period depicting a face of a woman wea ring a wig decorated with coloured flowers. Two linen mummy wrappings covered with plaster and bearing paintings showing winged amulets pushing the sun disc are also among the artefacts. Hieroglyphic text showing the name and titles of the deceased are also found on the plaster cover. The third piece is a cartonage painted mummy mask from the Third Intermediate period while the fourth and fifth items are Middle Kingdom wooden boats. The other three items are lim...

KV-63 ~ Newly Discovered Tomb

Valley of the Kings Valley of the Kings - Luxor Tomb of Tutankhamun Valley of the Kings - Luxor Valley of the Kings, Egypt KV-63 ~ Newly Discovered Tomb KV-63 is located in the Valley of the Kings approximately 14.5 meters from the south edge of KV-62, the Tomb of Tutankhamun. Dr. Zahi Hawass officially pronounced the newly discovered tomb, KV-63 on 10 Febru ary 2006. However, the initial shaft was discovered a few days before the end of 2005 excavation season. KV-63 is the first tomb to be discovered in the Valley of the Kings since 1922. it is now believed to have been a storage chamber for the mummification process. The chamber contained seven wooden coffins and many large storage jars. All coffins have now been opened, and were found to contain only mummification materials, with the jars also containing mummification supplies including salts, linens, and deliberately broken pottery. Some clay seal impressions contain text, such as the partial word 'pa-aten,' part o...

Search This Blog