Palaeo-electron microscopy of mummified tissue.

Abstract

THE histology of Egyptian mummified tissues was first described by Ruffer in 1911 (refs. 1 and 2). He was able to demonstrate by light microscopy that some tissues were well preserved, when rehydrated and embedded in paraffin. Because some skin and muscle from a mummified hand of ancient Egyptian origin dating approximately 600 B.C. recently became available, it was of interest to extend this field to the ultrastructural level with electron microscopy.