The Mysterious Land of Punt: Science Follows the Baboons
Vital Organs
This article presents my research into ancient Egyptian mummification, challenging long-standing assumptions about canopic jars and the role of the Sons of Horus. By re-examining nineteenth-century interpretations alongside textual evidence and modern CT imaging, I argue that these deities protected the entire body cavity rather than specific organs. The findings call for a reassessment of how the ancient Egyptians understood the body, preservation, and the afterlife. A huge thank you to Nile Magazine.
Today Marks 100 Years Since Tutankhamun’s Autopsy Was Carried Out!
International Lounge Podcast
I recently had the pleasure of joining International Lounge Podcast as a guest, alongside my friend filmmaker Curtis Ryan Woodside, for a fascinating conversation about one of ancient Egypt’s most controversial rulers, Pharaoh Akhenaten.
Together we explored not only his revolutionary vision and the glittering city he built at Amarna, but also the darker side of his reign– the suffering endured by those who laboured to create his utopian vision. Our discussion explores the contrast between Akhenaten’s radiant art and worship of the Aten, and the human cost behind his grand experiment.
Listen to the full episode here:
The Missing Heart of Tutankhamun: Unravelling a Modern Mummification Myth
One claim regarding Tutankhamun continues to dominate the literature and media: his mummification was “unusual” because his heart was absent. The implication? That the heart was essential to remain in the body, and its absence suggests Tutankhamun died far from home. This theory, intrigued me enough to investigate its origins during my dissertation research.
I discovered that the notion of retaining the heart during embalming originates from Grafton Elliot Smith’s early 20th-century observations of heart preservation in some mummies from the Twenty-First Dynasty.
More recently, Wade and Nelson’s study challenged this assumption, showing that the heart was frequently absent and that heart amulets did not consistently accompany or symbolically replace it (Wade & Nelson, 2013: 4202).
My own analysis of 33 anthropogenic mummies yielded similar results. Heart retention was confirmed in only 21% of the subjects, while 9% had partial heart retention. In 28% the presence or absence of the heart was indeterminate due to obstructive packing material. Strikingly, 42% of the subjects exhibited no heart retention at all (Aziz, 2023: 37).
Crucially, I found there is a lack of textual evidence from ancient Egypt indicating that heart retention was a ritual necessity. Instead, the belief appears to be a modern construct, shaped by four key sources:
• Diodorus Siculus (c. 30–90 BCE): The Greek historian claimed embalmers removed all organs except the kidneys and heart. Yet he offered no rationale, and modern imaging has shown his account to be anatomically inaccurate.
• Grafton Elliot Smith (1906): Smith’s anatomical studies led him to generalise Diodorus’s claim across all dynasties. He wrote:“In all cases the heart is left in the thorax attached to the great blood vessels… This striking confirmation of the statement of Diodorus has not, so far as I am aware, been recognised hitherto.”
However, larger-scale studies have since disproven this generalisation.
• The Book of the Dead: Spell 30B, which implores the heart not to speak against the deceased, has been interpreted by some scholars as evidence that the heart needed to remain in the body for successful passage to the afterlife. Yet this is a symbolic reading, not a surgical prescription.
• Walker’s classification of ‘ib’ and ‘haty’: Walker distinguishes between ‘ib’ (psyche) and ‘haty’ (anatomical heart), but acknowledges their interchangeable use in Egyptian texts. Both terms appear in the Ebers Papyrus (c. 1550 BCE) in contexts that blur anatomical and emotional meanings, reminding us that even today, the heart remains a metaphor for emotion and identity (Aziz, 2023: 16-19).
In short, the notion that the heart was ritually indispensable during mummification is not grounded in ancient Egyptian textual or archaeological evidence. It is a modern myth, stitched together from selective readings and retrospective interpretations.
I was honoured to present my findings at the XI World Congress on Mummy Studies – Cusco 2025.
For an in-depth analysis, see my article “Vital Organs” in Nile Magazine or my book “The Human Brain in Ancient Egypt: A Medical and Historical Analysis of Its Function and Importance”
References
Aziz, S. (2023) The Human Brain in Ancient Egypt: A Medical and Historical Re-evaluation of Its Function and Importance, Archaeopress
Smith, G.E. (1906) Sous Les Auspices de Abbas II: A Contribution to the Study of Mummification in Egypt, With Special Reference to the Measure Adopted During the Time of the XXI Dynasty for Moulding the Form of the Body, Le Caire
Wade, A.D., Nelson, A.J. (2013) Evisceration and Excerebration in the Egyptian Mummification Tradition, Journal of Archaeological Science 40, Elsevier Ltd
Walker, J. (1993) Studies in Ancient Egyptian Anatomical Terminology, School of History, Philosophy and Politics, Macquarie University, N.S.W., Australia
Akhenaten’s Afterlife Documentary
I’m delighted to share that I took part in the new documentary Akhenaten’s Afterlife, produced by my talented friend Curtis Ryan Woodside.
When we think of ancient Egypt, we picture gold, glory and gods. But beneath the radiant sun of Akhenaten’s Amarna lay a very different reality, one carved not in stone but atop fragile bones.
This film peels back the glittering facade of the pharaoh’s “city of light” to reveal a civilisation crumbling under hunger, toil and disease. Excavations of Amarna’s pit-grave cemeteries tell the story of young labourers buried without honour, their bodies marked by brutal work, malnutrition and infection.
At the same time, Akhenaten was rewriting Egypt’s faith, turning away from the gods of his ancestors towards monolatry and devotion to a single deity: the Aten. In doing so, he made himself the only channel between heaven and earth. Was this the result of divine inspiration, political strategy or a troubled, extraordinary mind?
Through science and archaeology, this documentary exposes the haunting truth behind the utopia: a paradise built on human suffering, divine obsession and one of the first recorded instances of power fused with faith.
11th World Congress on Mummy Studies – Cusco 2025
It was an honour to present my research on “The Function and Importance of the Human Brain in Ancient Egypt” at the 11th World Congress on Mummy Studies in Cusco, 2025 (Abstract Below).
Grateful to the organising committee in Peru for their dedication, hospitality and tireless work behind the scenes. Thank you for a truly inspiring conference.
Upcoming Public Lecture
I’m delighted to share that I’ve been invited by the ‘Hapy Egyptology Society’ to give a public lecture on 7th June at 4:15 PM, at ‘The Cooper Gallery’.
In this talk, I’ll present my research, which re-evaluates what ancient Egyptian physicians understood about the brain’s functions, offering fresh insights into their medical knowledge. I’ll also explore new perspectives on mummification methods and ancient Egyptian medicine, shedding light on their remarkable practices.
I hope to see you there!
Egypt’s Unexplained Files
Catch Me Today on Egypt’s Unexplained Files on Sky History
This fascinating series delves into the mysteries of Ancient Egypt, combining cutting-edge science with historical expertise to uncover secrets hidden for millennia. From decoding ancient texts to exploring the lives of pharaohs, the show offers a captivating journey into one of history’s most intriguing civilisations.