An ancient Egyptian enigma wrapped in mystery and reverence
Discovered over a century ago in the Valley of the Kings near Luxor, a mysterious 2,300-year-old mummy has continued to baffle Egyptologists. Nicknamed the “Untouchable,” this unusually preserved body was first found in 1919 by the famed Egyptologist Howard Carter—three years before he uncovered the tomb of Tutankhamun.
What makes this mummy particularly exceptional is its wrapping. Never before has a mummy been enveloped in such fragrant and finely woven cloth. The linen that shrouds the face bears architectural motifs inspired by ancient Egyptian design, hinting at the individual’s high status.
Despite its remarkable preservation, no one has dared physically unwrap the mummy. The linen is so delicate and expertly applied that disturbing it could permanently damage the meticulous mummification. This has left the identity of the deceased a mystery.
Instead, researchers have turned to technology. CT scans and X-rays determined that the mummy belonged to a man from the Bashiri lineage, standing approximately 167 centimetres tall. He likely lived during the mid-Ptolemaic period—between the 2nd and 3rd centuries BCE—when the art of mummification was at its peak.
Currently housed in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, the mummy remains one of the finest examples of its time. The decorative elements surrounding the body suggest that the man held significant social and political clout. A pectoral ornament on the chest, crafted from rows of beads and featuring a falcon’s head, symbolises wealth and influence. On the linen covering the feet are two illustrations of Anubis, the god of the dead. Another painted scene shows the goddesses Isis and Nephthys standing beside the deceased as he lies in repose.
So far, no inscriptions have definitively revealed his name. A single inscription inside the tomb suggests he may have belonged to the “Bashiri” or possibly “Neno” clan—but even that remains uncertain.
Until researchers can uncover more without compromising the integrity of the mummy, this enigmatic figure’s identity will remain shrouded in the linen and mystery of ancient Egypt.