Engineering Archaeological Research: Submillimetric X-Ray CT Scan of Metal and Hard Stone Objects in Ancient Egyptian Mummies

The research work presented in this paper aims at demonstrating how technology can contribute in a novel and significant way to the archaeological research by searching for innovative solutions to answer questions springing from the realm of humanities. The specific target of this work is the production of submillimetric 3D virtual reconstructions of metal and hard-stone objects contained inside fully wrapped ancient Egyptian mummies. The main challenge is the need to create these reconstructions without removing the bandages and without causing any damage to the human remains. This paper describes the decision-making process leading to the choice of the methodology, which is computed tomography, and of the type of sample to be examined in order to perform a preliminary test and complete a feasibility study, before applying the process to an actual mummy. Tomographic scans were performed with an industrial experimental system, however designed according to the traditional medical configuration named "gantry", on three samples that had been mummified for this specific purpose. Their analysis was performed primarily to obtain information regarding the parameters necessary to produce virtual reconstructions. In parallel, considering the large amount of energy compared to the common medical CT, the opportunity was taken to verify the effects of irradiation on the scanned samples, used as reference. The chance was thus used to monitor the temperature trend and measure the level of absorbed dose inside and on the surface of the samples. The completion of this feasibility study will provide new and more detailed information on the material culture of Ancient Egypt within the ethical principle of respecting the dead and their funerary beliefs.