Sources of mummy bitumen in ancient Egypt and Palestine

2025-02-19 Classification：Archaeology Click()
Author：Harrell, JA; Lewan, MD

Article Title：Sources of mummy bitumen in ancient Egypt and Palestine

Abstract：
Bitumen used as a preservative in ancient Egyptian mummies was previously thought to come only fromt he Dead Sea in Palestine. Other, closer sources of bitumen were investigated at Abu Durba and Gebel Zeit on the shores of Egypt's Gulf of Suez. Bitumen from these localities and from five mummies was analysed using molecular biomarkers derived from gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. IT was found that four of the mummies contained Dead Sea bitumen, and the fifth and oldest (900 BC) had bitumen from Gebel Zeit, thus providing the first evidence for the use of an indigenous source of bitumen in ancient Egypt.

Keywords: bitumen; mummies; Dead Sea; Palestine; Abu Durba; Gebel Zeit; Gulf of Suez; ancient Egypt; GC/MS; molecular biomarkers

DOI: 10.1111/1475-4754.t01-1-00060

Source：ARCHAEOMETRY

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