Famous pyramids in which the Egyptians had been using embalming practices for over 1,500 years, long before scientists believed.

Fred, the mummy of Turin.

An incredibly well-preserved 5,600-year-old mummy is now being subjected to much of what we thought we knew about Ancient Egyptian embalming.

A new study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science shows strong evidence that embalming practices in Ancient Egypt existed more than 1,500 years earlier than previously believed.

A team of researchers reached their conclusions after examining “Fred,” an exceptionally well-preserved mummy discovered more than 100 years ago in the Egyptian Museum in Turin since 1901, according to National Geographic. After being brought back to the museum and going through a number of advances in preservation methods, which meant it would be the perfect subject for research in terms of how it was preserved the first time.

The Turin mummy is believed to be around 5,600 years old and was originally thought to be a preserved anomaly. Fred was believed to have been naturally preserved by the extreme heat of the desert.

However, the study examined the mummy’s remains and found that it had not only been embalmed by humans, but had also been preserved using a recipe similar to those used 2,500 years later on pharaohs such as King Tut during the peak period of Egyptian mummification. according to Live Science.

Study co-author Janet Johnson, an Egyptologist at Australia’s Macquarie University, previously explored fragments of mummy clothing found at the same location and found evidence that hinted at mummy embalming.

However, these clues were not enough to convince skeptics that embalming was actually taking place because the skeptics argued that the clothing found near the mummies could easily be explained by the bodies, and they turned to Fred to help them gather evidence. definitive.

Jonas and his team used a variety of tests to examine linen wrappings from the Turin mummy’s torso and wrist, as well as a woven basket that was buried with his remains to discover the exact components of the embalming ointment. What they discovered turned out to be a groundbreaking discovery.

According to National Geographic, the ointment consisted of a vegetable oil base that was then combined with vegetable gum or resin, aromatic resin, and aromatic plant extracts. The components were extremely similar to ointments used thousands of years later, suggesting that Ancient Egyptian embalming practices had been established much earlier than previously thought.

“This certainly confirms our previous research,” Jonas told National Geographic.

However, the Turin mummy was discovered in the fetal position with all of its organs still inside its body, which is very different from the techniques the ancient Egyptians later used on mummies (which involved laying them flat and removing their organs). However, the ointment used to embalm the bodies was remarkably similar to those used much later.

Therefore, the study’s groundbreaking discovery has taken a giant step toward unlocking secrets about the mysterious and fascinating history of Ancient Egyptian mummies.