In The Mummies Gallery we will take a look at each of the mummies in both the study and control groups and pull together the familial and pathological data for easy referencing.

Before we meet the mummies, I should point out that the purpose of this article is only toprovide an easily readable summary of the data in the Journal of the American Medical Association report (“Ancestry and Pathology in King Tutankhamun’s Family.” Hawass, Zahi, Yehia Z. Gad, Somaia Ismail, et al, JAMA. 2010;303(7):638-647).  In this article I will not be critiquing or challenging the work, but neither do I wish to communicate that I am in 100% agreement.  For the current article, I am but the humble messenger.

The JAMA report is understandably heavy with medical jargon which I have attempted to present in non-technical terms.  However, I am not a physician, so when in doubt, double check my work.  If you find mistakes, please by all means report them in the Comments section!  You will be doing us all a favor!

As stated above, I will not be taking positions in this article on the data presented, but that does not mean I will not do so in future articles.  You, however, are encouraged to provide as much exegesis as you feel compelled to share.  Where you disagree with the data, speak your mind.  The whole purpose of The Mummies Gallery is to promote intelligent discussion by putting the JAMA report into layperson’s terms as much as possible.

I should also point out that I will not be delving too deeply into the genetic analyses in this current work.  Again, I reserve the right to do so in the coming weeks, but there is enough data to wade through by just sticking to the JAMA report’s conclusions.  Methodology shall be taken up, if at all, elsewhere.

Finally, I want to point out that there is a lot of repetition because I wanted each mummy to serve as a stand-alone entry.  In other words, I want the reader to be able to zip straight to a specific mummy and take in all the data in a glance without having to search through the full article to find the definition of a particular term.  However, even in the repetition there are subtle differences from mummy to mummy, so just because a paragraph starts off the same way it did for the last mummy, don’t assume the entire paragraph was cut-and-pasted!

So, without further adieu, I present the who’s-who of the chosen few of the Eighteenth Dynasty!

Tutankhamun (Study Group)

Identification and Kinship

Tutankhamun’s identity was known prior to the study.

Genetic fingerprinting on Tutankhamun was analyzed by a software package called GenoProof which calculates the likelihood of paternity and/or kinship.  A probability of more than 99.73% is regarded as “practically proven.” 

The GenoProof analysis of Tutankhamun’s genetic fingerprints showed: 

• KV55 (Akhenaten) is 99.99999981% likely to be Tutankhamun’s father.
• KV35YL is 99.99999997% likely to be Tutankhamun’s mother.
• Tutankhamun is 99.97992885% likely to be the father of Fetus 1
• Tutankhamun is 99.99999299% likely to be the father of Fetus 2

Cells in human males have one Y chromosome and one X chromosome.  The Y chromosome, present only in men, is passed from father to son and is used to trace paternal genetic lines.  The Y chromosomal DNA from Tutankhamun was used to identify the mummy from KV55 (Akhenaten) as his father, and Amenhotep III as his paternal grandfather.

Tutankhamun’s mother, KV35YL, is possibly either Nebetah or Beketaten, two of Amenhotep III’s daughters not known to have married their father, making them possible wives of Akhenaten.  Nefertiti and Kiya have been excluded as candidates for Tutankhamun’s mother.  Whoever KV35YL proves to be, the JAMA report states that she is a full sister of Akhenaten, making her a daughter of Amenhotep III.  Neither Nefertiti nor Kiya are believed to be daughters of Amenhotep III.

Blood type is a categorization of blood based on the structure of red blood cells.  Blood tests have been conducted on both Tutankhamun and KV55 (Akhenaten) and it was determined that both were in the A2 human blood group.  Blood categorization is further subdivided by analysis of a pair of genetic markers called antigens.  There are 46 different antigens, and both Tutankhamun and Akhenaten had the M and N antigens.  Thus, sharing the A2 blood type with the MN antigen pair suggests a close familial relationship between KV55 and Tutankhamun.  (See Nunn, John F. Ancient Egyptian Medicine. London: Red River Books, 2002.  P. 84.)

Congenital Disorders

• Cleft and highly arched palate, mild left clubfoot, crowded teeth, recessed (short) lower jaw, mild scoliosis, slightly hunched back.
• Tut’s flat-shaped skull (brachycephalism) is attributed to a family trait rather than defect or disease.
• Missing bone segments in left foot.
• A diagnosis of gynecomastia—female-like breasts—or Marfan syndrome, a genetic condition which can also manifest in enlarged breasts, was not possible due to the condition of Tutankhamun’s mummy, which lacks the frontal part of the chest.  However, the normal development of Tutankhamun’s penis tends to cast doubt on any condition that would elevate estrogen (female hormones) or lessen testosterone (male hormones).

Acquired Disorders

• Freiberg-Kohler’s disease in the left foot, resulting in bone deterioration and collapse at the ends of the metatarsals—the long bones of the foot.   This would have been a painful condition which would have probably required the young pharaoh to use a cane.  Although the condition results in bone death, it is aseptic, which means it would not normally result in an infection. 
• The combination of club footedness, missing bone segments, and Freiberg-Kohler’s disease in the left foot, along with flat-footedness in the right foot, would have resulted in serious mobility issues for Tutankhamun.
• Malaria tropica, multiple infections.  The presence of multiple strains of malaria tropica in Tutankhamun is open to interpretation.  He may have survived one or more full-blown infections, or it may have never progressed to a symptomatic stage.  It may have played a role in his death, or he may have never even known he was infected.
• Compound fracture to the left thigh.  Of all the probable causes of Tutankhamun’s death, this seems the most likely.  It occurred shortly before his death, as evidenced by the lack of healing, and was probably not postmortem due to the presence of embalming fluids in the fracture.  It would have resulted in the bone tearing through the muscle and skin, and would have caused a severe infection.

Yuya (Study Group)

Identification and Kinship

Yuya’s identity was known prior to the study.

Genetic fingerprinting on Yuya was analyzed by a software package called GenoProof which calculates the likelihood of paternity and/or kinship.  A probability of more than 99.73% is regarded as “practically proven.” 

The GenoProof analysis of both Yuya’s and Thuya’s genetic fingerprints showed they are 99.99999929% likely to be the parents of KV35EL (Tiye)

Congenital Disorders

• Yuya’s head is slightly longer than normal (Dolichocephaly), which is attributed to a family trait rather than defect or disease. 
• Yuya has fingers which are long and slender in relation to the width of his palm (Arachnodactyly), which may be a result of the embalming process or a natural variant rather than a disorder.

Acquired Disorders

• Non-infective dental abscesses.
• Like Tutankhamun, Yuya shows evidence of multiple infections with malaria tropica which may or may not have ever developed into full-blown malaria.  The fact that Yuya lived to an advanced age suggests that he either acquired the disease late in life, survived an earlier bout/bouts, or may have developed partial immunity from environmental exposure (see JAMA, p. 646).
• Incisional hernia.  As the name suggests, this is a hernia where the tissues of the abdomen, and sometimes even abdominal organs, push through the muscle layer where an incision has occurred.  The result is a painful bulge at the spot under the skin where the tissue breaks through.  An incisional hernia is usually a postoperative complication resulting from abdominal surgery.  While it is not outside the realm of possibility that Yuya had undergone some form of medical procedure, the presence of incisional hernias in seven of the sixteen mummies in the study seems suspicious.  It is possible that what is being called an incisional hernia is a postmortem result of the embalming process.

Thuya (Study Group)

Identification and Kinship

Thuya’s identity was known prior to the study.

Genetic fingerprinting on Thuya was analyzed by a software package called GenoProof which calculates the likelihood of paternity and/or kinship.  A probability of more than 99.73% is regarded as “practically proven.” 

The GenoProof analysis of both Thuya’s and Yuya’s genetic fingerprints showed they are 99.99999929% likely to be the parents of KV35EL (Tiye)

Congenital Disorders

• Severe scoliosis with hunched back, recessed (short) lower jaw.

Acquired Disorders

• Non-infective dental abscesses, hardening of the arteries.
• Thuya has fingers which are long and slender in relation to the width of her palm (Arachnodactyly), which may be a result of the embalming process or a natural variant rather than a disorder.
• Malaria tropica infection which may or may not have ever developed into full-blown malaria.  The fact that Thuya lived to an advanced age suggests that she either acquired the disease late in life, survived an earlier bout, or may have developed partial immunity from environmental exposure (see JAMA, p. 646).
• Incisional hernia.  As the name suggests, this is a hernia where the tissues of the abdomen, and sometimes even abdominal organs, push through the muscle layer where an incision has occurred.  The result is a painful bulge at the spot under the skin where the tissue breaks through.  An incisional hernia is usually a postoperative complication resulting from abdominal surgery.  While it is not outside the realm of possibility that Thuya had undergone some form of medical procedure, the presence of incisional hernias in seven of the sixteen mummies in the study seems suspicious.  It is possible that what is being called an incisional hernia is a postmortem result of the embalming process.

KV55—Akhenaten (Study Group)

Identification and Kinship

The idenification of Akhenaten was a key element of the Family of Tutankhamun Project because he ties the two previous generations to the two following generations.

Genetic fingerprinting on KV55 was analyzed by a software package called GenoProof which calculates the likelihood of paternity and/or kinship.  A probability of more than 99.73% is regarded as “practically proven.” 

The GenoProof analysis of KV55’s genetic fingerprints showed:

• KV55 is 99.99999981% likely to be the father of Tutankhamun.
• Amenhotep III is 99.99999999% likely to be KV55’s father.
• Amenhotep III and KV35EL (Tiye) are 99.99999964% to be KV55’s parents.

Cells in human males have one Y chromosome and one X chromosome.  The Y chromosome, present only in men, is passed from father to son and is used to trace paternal genetic lines.  The Y chromosomal DNA from the KV55 mummy was used to identify it as the son of Amenhotep III and the father of Tutankhamun.

Blood type is a categorization of blood based on the structure of red blood cells.  Blood tests have been conducted on both KV55 (Akhenaten) and Tutankhamun and it was determined that both were in the A2 human blood group.  Blood categorization is further subdivided by analysis of a pair of genetic markers called antigens.  There are 46 different antigens, and both Tutankhamun and Akhenaten had the M and N antigens.  Thus, sharing the A2 blood type with the MN antigen pair suggests a close familial relationship between KV55 and Tutankhamun.  (See Nunn, John F. Ancient Egyptian Medicine. London: Red River Books, 2002.  P. 84.)

Congenital Disorders

• Cleft and highly arched palate, scoliosis, recessed (short) lower jaw, crowded teeth, facial asymmetry.
• No proof was found of gynecomastia, Marfan syndrome, or any other congenital disorder which would have resulted in Akhenaten having a feminine body type as depicted in Amarna-style reliefs and statuary.  These depictions seem to be defined by artistic, religious, and political conventions rather than Akhenaten’s actual appearance.
• A diagnosis of gynecomastia—female-like breasts—was not possible due to lack of observable tissue.  Akhenaten’s mummy is actually a mummified skeleton.

Acquired Disorders

• Abnormal bone growth in the sinus cavity, degenerative bone loss and abnormal bone growth in the femurs.

Amenhotep III (Study Group)

Identification and Kinship

Amenhotep III’s identity was known prior to the study.

Genetic fingerprinting on Amenhotep III was analyzed by a software package called GenoProof which calculates the likelihood of paternity and/or kinship.  A probability of more than 99.73% is regarded as “practically proven.”  The GenoProof analysis of Amenhotep III’s genetic fingerprints showed:

• Amenhotep III is 99.99999999% likely to be KV55’s (Akhenaten’s) father.
• Amenhotep III and KV35EL (Tiye) are 99.99999964% to be KV55’s (Akhenaten’s) parents.
• KV55 (Akhenaten) is 99.99999981% likely to be Tutankhamun’s father, making Tutankhamun Amenhotep III’s grandson.

Cells in human males have one Y chromosome and one X chromosome.  The Y chromosome, present only in men, is passed from father to son and is used to trace paternal genetic lines.  The Y chromosomal DNA from Amenhotep III was used to identify the mummy from KV55 (Akhenaten) as his son, and Tutankhamun as his grandson.

Congenital Disorders

• Recessed (short) lower jaw, highly arched palate, clubfoot.

Acquired Disorders

• Non-infective dental abscesses, progressive bone degeneration, erosions in the inner structure of the right side of the skull, degeneration of spinal disks.

KV35YL (Study Group)

Identification and Kinship

Genetic fingerprinting on KV35YL was analyzed by a software package called GenoProof which calculates the likelihood of paternity and/or kinship.  A probability of more than 99.73% is regarded as “practically proven.” 

The GenoProof analysis of KV35YL’s genetic fingerprints showed KV35YL is 99.99999997% likely to be Tutankhamun’s mother

KV35YL is not considered to be Nefertiti because the genetic fingerprinting shows that she is a full sister of Akhenaten (KV55), making her a daughter of Amenhotep III.  Since Nefertiti is not listed anywhere as a daughter of Amenhotep III, this seems to rule out KV35YL being Nefertiti.  Likewise, Kiya is not attested as a daughter of Amenhotep III, so she can be marked off the list.  Of Amenhotep III’s daughters, neither Nebetah nor Beketaten are known to have married their father, making them possible wives of Akhenaten, and thus, viable candidates for KV35YL.

It should be noted, however, that GenoProof data supporting the likelihood that KV35YL and KV55 were full siblings was not provided in the JAMA report.  It is not clear if this is a limitation of the test itself, or if the case for siblinghood between KV35YL and KV55 (Akhenaten) is not as strong as other relationships proposed in the JAMA article.  If the latter, then there may be room for some doubt about the positions in the above paragraph, and KV35YL may yet be identified as Nefertiti.

Congenital Disorders

• Scoliosis, recessed (short) lower jaw, crowded teeth, facial asymmetry.

Acquired Disorders

• Trauma (likely fatal) to the face and cranium.

KV35EL—Tiye (Study Group)

Identification and Kinship

The identification of Queen Tiye was one of the major accomplishments of the project.

Genetic fingerprinting on KV35EL was analyzed by a software package called GenoProof which calculates the likelihood of paternity and/or kinship.  A probability of more than 99.73% is regarded as “practically proven.” 

The GenoProof analysis of KV35EL’s genetic fingerprints showed:

• Yuya and Thuya are 99.99999929% likely to be the parents of KV35EL (Tiye)
• Amenhotep III and KV35EL (Tiye) are 99.99999964% to be KV55’s (Akhenaten’s) parents.

Congenital Disorders

• Mild scoliosis, misshapen ears.
• Tiye has fingers which are long and slender in relation to the width of her palm (Arachnodactyly), which may be a result of the embalming process or a natural variant rather than a disorder.

Acquired Disorders

• Thyroid dysfunction\goiter.
• Incisional hernia.  As the name suggests, this is a hernia where the tissues of the abdomen, and sometimes even abdominal organs, push through the muscle layer where an incision has occurred.  The result is a painful bulge at the spot under the skin where the tissue breaks through.  An incisional hernia is usually a postoperative complication resulting from abdominal surgery.  While it is not outside the realm of possibility that Tiye had undergone some form of medical procedure, the presence of incisional hernias in seven of the sixteen mummies in the study seems suspicious.  It is possible that what is being called an incisional hernia is a postmortem result of the embalming process.

Fetus 1 (Study Group)

Identification and Kinship

Genetic fingerprinting on Fetus 1 was analyzed by a software package called GenoProof which calculates the likelihood of paternity and/or kinship.  A probability of more than 99.73% is regarded as “practically proven.” 

The GenoProof analysis of Fetus 1’s genetic fingerprints showed Tutankhamun is 99.97992885% likely to be the father of Fetus 1

Complete genetic data sets for Fetus 1 could not be obtained after repeated attempts.  Part of the ongoing work of the project involves more rigorous examination of mitochondrial (maternal) DNA, which could provide more data about Fetus 1.

Congenital Disorders

• No detectable congenital disorders.

Acquired Disorders

• Stillbirth.

Fetus 2 (Study Group)

Identification and Kinship

Genetic fingerprinting on Fetus 2 was analyzed by a software package called GenoProof which calculates the likelihood of paternity and/or kinship.  A probability of more than 99.73% is regarded as “practically proven.” 

The GenoProof analysis of Fetus 2’s genetic fingerprints showed Tutankhamun is 99.99999299% likely to be the father of Fetus 2

Complete genetic data sets for Fetus 2 could not be obtained after repeated attempts.  Part of the ongoing work of the project involves more rigorous examination of mitochondrial (maternal) DNA, which could provide more data about Fetus 2.

Congenital Disorders

• Mild scoliosis

Acquired Disorders

• Stillbirth.

KV21A (Study Group)

Identification and Kinship

Complete genetic data sets for KV21A could not be obtained after repeated attempts.  Part of the ongoing work of the project involves more rigorous examination of mitochondrial (maternal) DNA, which could provide more data about KV21A.

KV21A could possibly be Ankhesenamun, but will require further analysis to be sure.  The possibility that she is Ankhesenamun was certainly not ruled out.

Congenital Disorders

• Scoliosis, clubfeet.

Acquired Disorders

• None diagnosed.

KV21B (Study Group)

Identification and Kinship

Complete genetic data sets for KV21B could not be obtained after repeated attempts.  Part of the ongoing work of the project involves more rigorous examination of mitochondrial (maternal) DNA, which could provide more data about KV21B.

Congenital Disorders

• Scoliosis, clubfeet.

Acquired Disorders

• None diagnosed.

CCG61065 (Control Group)

Identification and Kinship

Identifying the mummies of the control group was not a stated goal of the current phase of the study, and genetic information on the control group was not provided in the JAMA article.  Mummy CCG61065, previously thought to be that of Thutmose I, remains unidentified.

Congenital Disorders

• Scoliosis, hunched back, misaligned pelvis.
• CCG61065’s head is slightly longer than normal (Dolichocephaly), which is attributed to a family trait rather than defect or disease. 

Acquired Disorders

• Malaria tropica.  It seems unlikely that CCG61065 was suffering from full-blown malaria at the time of his death, as he died of an arrow wound, a fairly good sign that he died in battle.  Someone suffering from malaria tropica, the most severe form of malaria, is not going to have much fight in him.
• Incisional hernia.  As the name suggests, this is a hernia where the tissues of the abdomen, and sometimes even abdominal organs, push through the muscle layer where an incision has occurred.  The result is a painful bulge at the spot under the skin where the tissue breaks through.  An incisional hernia is usually a postoperative complication resulting from abdominal surgery.  While it is not outside the realm of possibility that CCG61065 had undergone some form of medical procedure, the presence of incisional hernias in seven of the sixteen mummies in the study seems suspicious.  It is possible that what is being called an incisional hernia is a postmortem result of the embalming process.
• Traumatic arrow wound, presumed to be fatal, to the chest.

Thutmose II (Control Group)

Identification and Kinship

Thutmose II’s identity was known prior to the study.

Although in the control group, Thutmose II was not included in the genetic control group.

Congenital Disorders

• Scoliosis, hunched back, hollow feet (high arches), recessed (short) lower jaw, crowded teeth, misshapen ears.
• Thutmose II’s head is slightly longer than normal (Dolichocephaly), which is attributed to a family trait rather than defect or disease. 

Acquired Disorders

• Calcified heart valves
• Incisional hernia.  As the name suggests, this is a hernia where the tissues of the abdomen, and sometimes even abdominal organs, push through the muscle layer where an incision has occurred.  The result is a painful bulge at the spot under the skin where the tissue breaks through.  An incisional hernia is usually a postoperative complication resulting from abdominal surgery.  While it is not outside the realm of possibility that Thutmose II had undergone some form of medical procedure, the presence of incisional hernias in seven of the sixteen mummies in the study seems suspicious.  It is possible that what is being called an incisional hernia is a postmortem result of the embalming process.

Ahmose-Nefertari (Control Group)

Identification and Kinship

Ahmose-Nefertari’s identity was known prior to the study.

Although in the control group, Ahmose-Nefertari was not included in the morphological control group

Congenital Disorders

• None reported in the JAMA article.

Acquired Disorders

• None reported in the JAMA article.

Hatshepsut (Control Group)

Identification and Kinship

Hatshepsut’s identity was known prior to the study.

Congenital Disorders

• Recessed (short) lower jaw

Acquired Disorders

• Slipped disk (L5-S1).
• Infective dental abscesses.  Hatshepsut’s abscesses were serious enough to have caused fatal blood poisoning (septicemia).  This may have caused or contributed to her death.  In the very least, her final days were not pleasant. 
• Probable metastatic bone cancer of the left hip/pelvis.  As with her dental abscesses, Hatshepsut’s cancer was serious enough to have caused or contributed to her death.

Sitra-In (Control Group)

Identification and Kinship

Sitra-In’s identity was known prior to the study.

Congenital Disorders

• Scoliosis, hunched back, misshapen ears.

Acquired Disorders

• Incisional hernia.  As the name suggests, this is a hernia where the tissues of the abdomen, and sometimes even abdominal organs, push through the muscle layer where an incision has occurred.  The result is a painful bulge at the spot under the skin where the tissue breaks through.  An incisional hernia is usually a postoperative complication resulting from abdominal surgery.  While it is not outside the realm of possibility that Sitra-In had undergone some form of medical procedure, the presence of incisional hernias in seven of the sixteen mummies in the study seems suspicious.  It is possible that what is being called an incisional hernia is a postmortem result of the embalming process.

See Also 

• Families and Frailties of the Eighteenth Dynasty
• King Tut’s Feet Fatale: Did Frail Feet Fell the Famous Pharaoh?
• Your Mummy and Your Health: The Swiss Mummy Project Unravels Ancient Illnesses
• The Swiss Mummy Project Wraps Up Current Experiment 

Copyright by Keith Payne, 2010.  All rights reserved.

Photos “Tutankhamun” from The Griffith Institute (Howard Carter Archive), “tuyu2” from Davis, Theodore M., Maspero Gaston, and Carter Howard. The Tomb of Iouiya and Touiyou. London: Archibald Constable and Co., 1907, pl III, “TutChildMummy1” and “TutChildMummy2” from Reeves, Nicholas. The Complete Tutankhamun: The King, the Tomb, the Royal Treasure. London: Thames and Hudson, 1990, “Yuyacolor”, and “Hatshepsut7” courtesy of The Theban Mummy Project.  Photos “Amenhotep iii”, “amenhotep iv akhanaten”, “KV35YL”, “kv35el”, “ccg61065 thutmose I”, “thutmoses ii”, and  “Ahmose-Nefertari” courtesy of the University of Chicago’s Electronic Open Stacks copy of Catalogue General Antiquites Egyptiennes du Musee du Caire: The Royal Mummies, by G. Elliot Smith (Cairo, 1912).  Photos “41_tut”, “Mummy mask of Yuya”, “32_tuya”, “34_akhenaten_small”, and “amenhotep III” by Jon Bodsworth are copyright free.  Photos “QueenTiy01-AltesMuseum-Berlin” by Keith Schengili-Roberts and “Hatshepsut_1” by Postdlf are used in accordance with the GNU Free Documentation License.  Photo “Ahmesz_Nefertari2005” courtesy of Leoboudv and is used in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic license.

Re-wrapping a mummy, new Pyramid Texts, Abydos abides, the Akhenaten Museum, Hieroglyphs 101, Hanging out with Dr. Andrzej Cwiek, and WV22?

Whence (and who-ence) mummy WV22?  Tim Reid of The Egyptians raises some questions about the mummy found in KV35, but named WV22.  And it is actually a little more confusing than that:  “the badly damaged mummy was inscribed as Amenhotep III but lying in a coffin trough for Ramses III with a lid for Seti II.”  Check out Tim’s article:  “WV 22?”

Jane Akshar of Luxor News attended a lecture by Dr. Andrzej Cwiek, the Assistant Director of the Polish Mission at Hatshepsut’s temple at Deir el Bahri.  As if that isn’t enviable enough, she spent some one-on-one time with him after the lecture dialoguing and getting a closer look at his work with hieroglyphs.  And if that isn’t enviable enough, the next morning Dr. Cwiek gave Jane a personal tour of the Deir el Bahri site!  Jane shares all the details and some exclusive photography in “Fall of Senenmut – New Evidence from the temple at Deir el Bahri – Dr Andrzej ?wiek” and “A morning with Dr Andrzej Cwiek.”

If you are interested in learning some hieroglyphic grammar (or is that, grammar involving hieroglyphs?), check out Mummy’s Wrap, the online home of archaeologist Page Strong.  In particular:

• Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs: Phonograms
• Hieroglyphs: Determinatives
• Hieroglyphs: Ideograms

And yes, this will be on the exam.

Which came first, the mummy or the museum?  Is the newly-announced Akhenaten Museum a result of the Heretic King’s mummy having been recently identified, or did a previously planned Akhenaten Museum pressure the project to discover the king, whether they really did or not?  Kate Phizackerley, the reincarnated Theban sage who runs News from the Valley of the Kings, continues to assess the emperor’s new clothes.  Read “Akhenaten Museum Planned” for the latest.

I am a sucker for anything about Abydos, and Su Bayfield has posted an entry from her travel journal, Reflections in the Nile, which has me especially nostalgic.  I have only had the privilege of spending less than a day at this very important heritage site, and man, if I knew then what I know now.  Su’s photography is especially enjoyable, but she has a shot of the Osirion you have got to see.  The water tables are especially low, and the shot captures the entire structure.  See it at “The Abydos Pilgrimage.”

A couple of stories leap out from Vincent Brown’s Talking Pyramids.  In “Photos of the Re-Wrapping of Anonymous Man,” Vincent offers some slideshows of the four-day process of re-wrapping a Roman Period Egyptian mummy by a team from the Brooklyn Museum back in February.  Vincent also has some video clips of the event in “Re-wrapping a Mummy Live in the Lab!”  In “Burial Chamber with Pyramid Texts Discovered” and “Deciphering the Pyramid Texts of Behenu” Vincent covers the recently discovered burial chamber of Queen Behenu at Saqqara.  Vincent is doing his own translation of some of the Pyramid Text, which he offers for our perusal.

Copyright by Keith Payne, 2010.  All rights reserved.

Pictured to the left, Shemsu’s better half—Sekhmet.

T’was the night before Halloween and despite the rain and the cold, Louisville’s Frankfort Avenue was bumper to bumper traffic, and the sidewalks were busy with costumed merry-makers bouncing from boutiques to bistros, and from clubs to cafés.  It was the last Friday of the month, so the Frankfort Avenue Trolley Hop was in full swing.

There is no shortage of eateries on Frankfort Avenue.  Along with Bardstown Road and Fourth Street downtown, it is one of the places locals take their out-of-town friends when they visit.  But on a chilly and rainy fall evening there is no better place to be than Maria Bell’s It’s All Greek to Me kitchen, with a hot bowl of fakyes soup and a steamy stack of pitas for dipping. 

Maria Bell of It's All Greek to Me

Maria first started feeding Louisvillians with her Greek Paradise Café on Story Avenue, and when she was forced to close her doors due a disagreement with her landlord, for her many fans it was like moving away from home.  Good, authentic Greek comfort food doesn’t just grow on vines.  So when Maria moved into the property vacated by the Wine Rack, it was an occasion for Ouzo.

But it wasn’t just the food and people watching that brought me to Maria’s kitchen on Halloween Eve.  Shimmering Hips, the students of bellydancing instructor Anna Murray—also known by her dancing name Azayani—were performing from 7:00 to 10:00 that evening.  And if good food and beautiful dancing were not reason enough, then add the fact that my own lovely wife Anne Payne, also known as Sekhmet, is one of Azayani’s students.

Azayani, aka Anna Murray, teaches bellydancing and is the primary in Shimmering Hips (Photo by Keith Payne)

Azayani began belly dancing as a law student in Salem, Oregon, and has trained, taught, and performed this ancient art all across the country.  In 2007 she was part of a troupe called Sisters of the Desert Moon that won Third Place in the Bellydancer USA competition.  Her Shimmering Hips troupe regularly performs at Bardstown Road and Frankfort Avenue establishments and is available for events.  Planning a Mediterranean-themed wedding?  Marie Bell caters and Shimmering Hips entertains.

Anne Payne, also known as Sekhmet (Photo by Keith Payne)

Azayani’s classes present bellydance as an art form and a path to both physical and mental fitness.  As a display of both grace and strength, bellydancing moves focus on specific parts of the body, such as shoulder rolls and hip shimmies.  More than just a workout for the abs, belly-dancing involves the entire body and is an excellent way of building upper body strength while promoting deep, regular breathing. 

Azayani even has bellydancing training specifically for expecting mothers.  In fact, Azayani explains that many teachers believe that bellydancing originated as a way to prepare women for childbirth.

Sarah Combs of Shimmering Hips (Photo by Keith Payne)

In addition to Sekhmet, Azayani had another of her students entertaining visitors to Maria’s kitchen—Sarah Combs, who as of yet has not chosen a bellydancing name.  Individually and in duets (they were limited in terms of space), the Shimmering Hips wove their magic to the sound of Eastern music, as well as one of U2’s more etheric tunes. 

Their dancing styles ranged from traditional to tribal, with Azayani performing a sword dance as well.  But most surprising was when Maria Bell herself, with a shout of “Opa!,” smashed a plate on the floor and began dancing around it!

Maria Bell dances around a smashed plate (Photo by Keith Payne)

For three hours Azayani, Sekhmet, and Sarah (and Maria!) took turns dancing for those who were drawn in from the cold and rain by the sound of zills and the smell of roasting lamb.  At one point Maria pulled me outside, where in nicer weather there are tables for dining al fresco, and as we stood under the eave to avoid the rain explained her plans to open a larger place downtown in the very near future. 

Maria’s desire is to bring to Louisville the sort of Greek restaurant where the patrons eat and dance with abandon, without landlords who get snippy over the occasional broken plate on the floor.  “Eat, dance, and eat some more” she explained as we scooted past Sarah and Sekhmet and back into the warmth of the eatery.

The Egyptian Angle

Lest anyone think I have written this just to brag about my wife and her lovely friends, there is an Em Hotep! angle to this article.  To begin with, Its All Greek to Me is one of the more authentic places in Louisville where you can eat like an Egyptian.  The Middle Eastern and Mediterranean palates have much in common.  Chicken and lamb grilled with fresh vegetables, chickpeas and lentils, cucumber, eggplant, lots of garlic and the ever-present pita bread are standard fare from Kozani to Aswan.

Tzatziki and grape leaves

An Egyptian evening at It’s All Greek to Me might begin with some hummus—which the Egyptians might call ta’amiyah—and maybe some tzatsiki with some grilled pita bread to go with them.  If it is a Tuesday or Thursday, a nice cup of the previously mentioned fakyes soup with a little vinegar or olive oil will help finish off any remaining pita bread.  For an entrée have the mousaka, or for those with a Pharaonic appetite, the Zeus platter—a sampling of lamb, chicken, tzatziki, feta, olives, tomatoes and grape leaves for two.

Oh, and as my wife would point out, they have salads too.  Lots of wonderful salads.  For the It’s All Greek to Me menu, click here.  And like Azayani, Maria Bell offers regular classes so you can eat like an Egyptian, or Greek, at home.    

With regard to belly dancing, Egypt has a long and romantic history.  Egyptian style bellydancing as it has been practiced in modern times is believed to be closely related to Moroccan belly-dancing, although that is not to say that one style necessarily led to the other.  Egyptian bellydancers make use of veils in their dancing, but for most of the performance will typically have their faces uncovered, whereas with more Arabic styles the face will usually remain covered throughout the performance. 

In addition to veils, there are several props traditionally associated with Egyptian bellydancing.  Candles, swords, and canes are often used, with canes being commonly used by male bellydancers.  In recent centuries Egyptian bellydancers, called Ghawazee, worked in troupes that included both men (called Ghazee) and women (called Ghazeeye), and would typically perform in streets and market-places.  The Ghawazee were actually a nomadic tribe whose members moved from city to city making a living at dancing, and who were tolerated because they tended to make very good money and were a reliable source of tax revenue wherever they showed up.

Religious intolerance eventually exerted sufficient pressure to put an end to public bellydancing, and Ghawazee performances were banned in Cairo in 1834.  The sanctions were relaxed somewhat beginning in 1849, but public bellydancing remained illegal.  This led to performances being held behind closed doors, which resulted in the birth of the Egyptian cabaret (source).

Azayani with zills (Photo by Keith Payne)

So for the purposes of Em Hotep!, there is obviously a recent connection (200-300 years is actually quite recent by Egyptological standards..) 

What about a link to antiquity?  Tradition has it that bellydancing has been around as an art form for 6,000 years.  Is there evidence of bellydancing in ancient Egypt?

The Art of Dance in Ancient Egypt

Musicians and dancers are a common motif in Egyptian art (Photo by courtesy of Eloquence)

There is a tradition that bellydancing in Egypt dates back to Pharaonic times, and examples of dancing are represented in art all throughout Egypt’s long history.  Some of the most commonly reproduced pieces of Egyptian painting represent female musicians and dancers in gauzy dresses of the finest linen, if not practically nude.  Some of these paintings have led to an unfair and inaccurate association between bellydancing and more vulgar forms of entertainment, but such modern connotations ignore the fact that nudity in ancient Egyptian art, culture, and even religion had none of the puritanical baggage of the modern era.

But while Egyptian art is replete with dancing figures, is there any evidence that the bellydancing of modern times has a precursor in Pharaonic Egypt?  One example of Egyptian art offered as a depiction of an ancient form of bellydancing comes from the tomb of Nebamun.  An accountant who worked at the Temple of Amun at the Karnak complex at Luxor, Nebamun is believed to have died around 1350 BC, during the reign of Amenhotep III of the Eighteenth Dynasty, and just prior to the Amarna Revolution of Akhenaten.  That certainly qualifies for Pharaonic. 

Musicians and dancers from the Eighteenth Dynasty tomb of Nebamun (Photo courtesy of Fordmadoxfraud)

The fresco from Nebamun’s tomb certainly depicts music, clapping, and dancing, but does it portray an early form of bellydancing?  At first glance there seems to be a lot going on with the dancers.  As stated above, bellydancing usually focuses on one part of the body at a time—the entire body might be relatively still while the head weaves side to side, for example.  But the stylized nature of Egyptian art can be misleading.  A single figure may be representing different movements simultaneously in a kind of single figure animation.  So the dancers may be depicting a variety of moves that are not normally executed simul-taneously, but are shown in such a way that allows one or two figures to demonstrate what would otherwise require a number of dancers to illustrate.

So when evaluating whether or not the figures from the Nebamun tomb painting represent a form of bellydancing you should consider the possibility that the actual dance may not have looked exactly how it is depicted.  The figures tell a narrative and the actions shown would have played out sequentially rather than simultaneously.   Fortunately, we don’t have to rely strictly on Egyptian art for representations of Egyptian people.  Dr. Andrea Deagon, the coordinator of the Classical Studies and Women’s Studies Programs at UNC-Wilmington, and an accomplished bellydancer herself, has provided evidence that bellydancing existed in a recognizable form at least as far back as Egypt’s Roman Period.

Unlike Egyptian art, which changed remarkably little in terms of convention and style for millennia, Roman art could be much more dynamic and expressive.  Dr. Deagon points to the example of a Roman relief sculpture from the Second Century depicting the Egyptian festival of the Apis Bull.  Describing the frieze, she notes:

“the artists have taken great care to illustrate the women’s hips as protruding, and their hands in unusual positions.  In other words, they are clearly indicating a form of dance in which the hips, hands and arms are used in ways that were foreign to Rome.  The dancers are all in different positions, suggesting solo-improvisation”  (source, with photo).

Dr. Deagon concludes that if a form of bellydancing was being practiced in Egypt during the Roman Period, then it is feasible some variety was being practiced as early as 1350 BC.  Bear in mind the leisurely pace at which Egyptian arts and styles evolve.  While not 100% conclusive, it would seem not too far a stretch to presume some form of bellydancing was practiced during Pharaonic times in Egypt. 

Azayani and Maria Bell celebrating life (Photo by Keith Payne)

But you don’t need to have an interest in ancient Egypt to want to take bellydancing lessons or to enjoy hearty Greek food, or for that matter, to take lessons in Greek cooking from Maria Bell.  All you have to do is live in or near Louisville and check out their websites, which I have repeated below for your convenience. 

And by the way, this is an unpaid endorsement for both Azayani’s Shimmering Hips troupe and Maria Bell’s It’s All Greek to Me.  No undue pressure was applied by Sekhmet, and I have her permission to say so.

It’s All Greek to Me                        Azayani Bellydance

2715 Frankfort Ave                          Email to Azayani

Louisville, KY  40206

(502) 895-0555

Email to Maria Bell

Copyright by Keith Payne, 2009.  All rights reserved.

Photographs ”Almeh fesquet.jpg” by Frederic Goupil Fesquet, “Maler der Grabkammer des Nacht 004.jpg” by Eloquence, and “Nebamun tomb fresco dancers and musicians.png” by Fordmadoxfraud are provided courtesy of Wikimedia Commons  and are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 License. In short: you are free to share and make derivative works of those files under the conditions that you appropriately attribute them, and that you distribute them only under a license identical to this one. Official license 

Eighteenth Dynasty

The Egyptian Renaissance and the Dynasty of Celebrities

1550 to 1295 BC

The Eighteenth Dynasty marked a period of high culture, religious ideologies, political intrigue, and dynastic dramas.  The capitol is Memphis, with the religious center at Thebes, but the entire order is upset by Amenhotep IV, popularly known as Akhenaten, who changes the state religion and moves the capitol to Amarna.  His revolution is almost immediately reversed after his death.  Other luminaries include Ahmose I, Hatshepsut the Female Pharaoh, Tutankhamun, and Horemheb.