Remains of 3,500-year-old Egyptian woman reveal she suffered from 'rare' disease

BY BRENDAN RASCIUS JANUARY 08, 2024 5:53 PM

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The skeletal remains of an ancient Egyptian woman reveal she likely suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, a disease that — though common today — is rarely seen in the archaeological record. The finding indicates the autoimmune disease may have been affecting humans for millennia, according to a study published on Jan. 3 in the International Journal of Paleopathology.

In 2018, archaeologists uncovered the woman’s tomb at a cemetery in Aswan, an ancient city perched upon the banks of the Nile River. Though the cemetery had been damaged and looted over the years, the woman’s skeleton remained largely intact.

The remains were unearthed from the soil alongside a leather garment, ostrich egg beads and pottery fragments.
Based on the size of the bones, archaeologists determined the individual was a woman between 25 and 30 years old at the time of death. The remains were dated to between 1750 and 1550 B.C., making them at least 3,500 years old.

The scattered bones, particularly those in the hands and feet, were distinguished by over a dozen lesions ranging in size from miniscule pinholes to large destructive craters, researchers said.

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