Lady Rai – One of the oldest mummies of Egypt

Let’s look at another mummy found in the Deir el-bahri cache, who may be one of the “most perfect examples of embalming…from the time of the early 18th Dynasty.”

TWpBeU0xOHdNMTh5TjE4d015NXFjR1ZuLmpwZw==.png

Lady Rai was an ancient Egyptian woman from the early 18th Dynasty. Little is known about her life, but she served as a nursemaid to Queen Ahmose- Nefertari. We have no evidence of her parentage, but she was no doubt from some elite family as she was most likely buried in the elite burials in Deir el-bahri and Thebes.

TWpBeU0xOHdNMTh5TjE4d05GOHlMbkJ1WndfMTAyNHg2MjBfMS5wbmc=.png

Lady Rai’s original tomb is not known, but it was most likely looted in antiquity, which is why she was reburied in the cache in Deir el-bahri. She was originally buried in two coffins, but it seems her outer coffin is all that was preserved. But Rai’s body was not found inside it.

The only personal belongings of Lady Rai that have been found was a single barrel-shaped carnelian bead on her right wrist. This is just a fraction of what Rai’s jewelry was before.

ZG9lc190aGlzX3JlY29uc3RydWN0aW9uX2xvb2tfYWNjdXJhdGVfdG9feW91X2l0X2RvZXNudF92MF94bDVlZnI5dndseDgxLmpwZw==.png

As I mentioned previously, G. Elliot Smith called Lady Rai’s mummy one of the most perfect examples of 18th Dynasty embalming and “the least unlovely” of the existing female mummies. Smith unwrapped the mummy on June 26th, 1909. Rai was a slim woman only about 4 foot 11 inches. She was estimated to be about 30 or 40 years old when she died around 1530 b.C.E.

TXVtbXlfb2ZfTGFkeV9SYWlfMTU3MF8xNTMwX0JDRV9pbl90aGVfRWd5cHRpYW5fTmF0aW9uYWxfTXVzZXVtX29mX0FudGlxdWl0aWVzX0NhaXJvLmpwZw==.png

Her scalp retained abundant amounts of what appears to be her own hair, not a wig, which would have been more common. This was styled in тιԍнтly plaited groups of braids down to her chest. Rai’s teeth only had slight wear. In 2009, the mummy was CAT scanned, which revealed that she had a diseased aortic arch and thus the oldest known mummy with evidence of atherosclerosis.

TVY4eU1UWXVhbkJuXzEwMjR4MTAyNF8xLmpwZw==.png

Related Posts

Researchers Determined That Two 1,000-Year-Old Mummies Met Gruesome Deaths

PH๏τo Credit: Anagoria / Wikimedia Commons CC BY 3.0 and Anagoria / Wikimedia Commons CC BY 3.0 When we think of mummies, we might envision kings, pharaohs,…

The Sumerian “Wristwatch”: Unveiling Ancient Symbolism and Status

The so-called “Sumerian wristwatch” has long been a subject of fascination and debate. Depicted in ancient Sumerian carvings, these circular objects worn on the wrists of gods…

A Remarkable Discovery: An Ancient Sword Found Beside a Skeleton in Kent, England

The Context of the Discovery At the end of this year, archaeologists unearthed an ancient sword lying next to a skeleton in a cemetery in Kent, England….

The Ancient Stone: Wulfruna’s Column and the Echoes of Medieval England

Standing weathered and worn against the skyline of Wolverhampton, a solitary stone column tells one of England’s most captivating tales of survival, transformation, and cultural evolution. This…

Unveiling the Mysteries of the Lady of Aigai: A Golden Tale of Macedonian Royalty

A Royal Discovery in Ancient Macedon In the heart of ancient Greece, archaeologists unearthed a remarkable treasure that would forever change our understanding of Macedonian royal life….

The Golden Guardians: King Tutankhamun’s Sacred Footwear and the Path to Eternity

A Glimpse into Ancient Egyptian Royal Rituals In the mystical realm of ancient Egypt, where pharaohs were considered living gods, King Tutankhamun’s golden sandals and toe caps…