Stunning Facial Reconstruction of the World’s First Pregnant Mummy Revealed [Photos]

In a fascinating project, researchers used computer software and the remains of the first known pregnant Egyptian mummy to successfully reconstruct her face.

Scans revealed that the 2,000-year-old mummy had cancer and likely died from a rare form of the disease during her 28th week of pregnancy.

Polish researchers, while scanning the skull last year, noticed unusual signs in the bones. The observed features resembled those seen in nasopharyngeal cancer patients, leading scientists to conclude that this woman—dubbed the “Mysterious Lady”—likely died from the same condition.

To reconstruct the face digitally, researchers first created a 3D model of the skull, filling in missing parts through modeling. Landmarks were placed for the eyes, nose, ears, cheeks, lips, and chin, and each was covered with computer-generated tissue to reveal the final facial features.

The “Mysterious Lady” is believed to have been discovered in royal tombs in Thebes in the early 1800s. She dates back to the 1st century BCE, a period when Cleopatra reigned and Thebes was a prominent city. In 1826, the mummy was transported to Warsaw, Poland, where she is now displayed at the National Museum.

Last year, tomography examinations estimated that she was between 20 and 30 years old and between the 26th and 30th week of pregnancy at the time of her death.

Italian forensic anthropologist Chantal Milani, a member of the Warsaw Mummy Project, explained, “Bones—especially the skull—carry a wealth of information about an individual’s face. While it cannot be considered a precise portrait, the skull’s unique anatomical features provide a set of shapes and proportions that guide the final reconstruction.”

Milani added, “The tissue covering the bone follows different anatomical rules, so standard methods can be used to reconstruct features, such as the shape of the nose.”

The mummy had been carefully wrapped in cloth and accompanied by a rich collection of amulets, intended to guide her into the afterlife.

According to Fararu, the Warsaw Mummy Project posted on Facebook that mummification was a careful process designed to preserve a person for the afterlife. This mummy is believed to be the first known example of a preserved pregnant woman and remains on display at the National Museum in Warsaw.