The conclusive evidence of existence cotton plant in ancient Egypt and used it in mummification process: case study from roman period

Abstract EN

Many researchers assumed that ancient Egypt has no ideas about the cotton plant.

Although, the evidences of using cotton were very limited, some ancient texts mentioned the cotton since the 4th century BC, Ptolemaic period onwards.

As a raw material for cloths industry.

In one of the antiquities robbery crimes, two mummies were confiscated, the ministry of tourism and antiquities informed to examine both of them.

One of these mummies were carrying a layer of fiber between the wrappings and the body.

The author used two different techniques to identify and dating this fiber; microscopic examination and C14 dating.2 The analysis confirmed that it is cotton and dates back to Roman period between c.

36 ± 1893 Bp.

Additionally, using different techniques to examine mummification materials.

The study will focus on the importance of using different techniques to confirm the analysis results, in both identifying the fibers and different materials, which used during the mummification process itself.

The study will contribute to provide more information about the variety of ancient Egyptian techniques during the mummification process in Roman period, Moreover, the paper will shed light about Egyptian cotton history.