Overview
- The peer‑reviewed paper, which was published Friday, July 17, 2026, reports pronounced upper‑limb bone development and muscle attachment changes that match repetitive actions such as drawing a bow.
- Researchers analyzed six mummies from Dahshur that were excavated in the 1890s and rediscovered in the Egyptian Museum in 2020, including four sisters identified as daughters of Pharaoh Amenemhat II.
- Healed fractures and well‑aligned bone repair in several individuals indicate effective treatment by ancient royal medical practitioners rather than untreated battlefield wounds.
- The team also found signs of past infections, possible nutritional deficiencies and unusual spinal anomalies that may reflect close kinship among the buried royals and which are now subject to further genetic and biochemical study.
- Investigators pledged ethical conservation and public outreach by creating 3D prints and virtual exhibits and planning displays that pair the human remains with their jewelry and weapons for teaching and museum use.