Human Remains; Mummified Head

Head of a mummified female, about 14 years old. No hair and remains of gold leaf on skin surface. Radiographed by British dentist Frank Filce Leek (1903-1985) in August 1968. The Museum does not have any images, only details in the correspondence between F. Filce Leek and Dorothy Slow (Keeper of Archaeology) which includes these observations: “The brain was removed via the nose after the cribriform plate of the ethmoid bone had been pierced on both sides of the nasal septum and without visible damage to the nose.” (13.8.1968); “We took lateral and AP [Anterior-Posterior] full head x-rays of specimen no 15.2.07.2 and were able to determine the age at death by the amount of development of the third molars. Approx 14 years. There were no abnormalities present, with the possible exception of lack of hair on head. This however, probably, was lost during embalming process.” (16.8.1968). Published by F. Filce Leek, The Problem of Brain Removal during Embalming by the Ancient Egyptians, 'The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology' , Aug., 1969, Vol. 55 (Aug., 1969), pp. 112-116. Bequest of Miss Margaret Eleanor Moss (1907). Presented in a glass case with a mummified cat. No further details recorded.