Adv. ആരിഷ് വിജയകുമാർ🇮🇳

1976: When Ramses came to Paris for a mummy makeover: Of Kerala, Egypt, and the spice link: Pepper (piper nigrum) inside nostrils: ~ 3200 years ago In 1976, the mummy of Ramses II, one of ancient Egypt's most famous pharaohs, was temporarily transported to Paris for an unprecedented conservation and restoration project at the Musée de l' Homme. Ramses II is hailed as one of the greatest Pharaohs who ruled Egypt from 1279 to 1212 BC, is often regarded as one of the most influential pharaohs in Egyptian history. Fast forward to 1975 and a French doctor named Maurice Bucaille discovered that his remains were in poor condition and needed treatment, so he arranged for its transportation from Egypt. The remains of the pharaoh, who was in his nineties when he died in 1213 BC, were starting to show their age. French and Egyptian researchers, including the renowned Egyptologist Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt, conducted an in-depth examination, which lasted eight months, to halt damage caused by fungal infections and parasites. Examination of his mummy led to a tiny, yet astounding, discovery about international trade in the ancient world. Found tucked inside the nostrils of the pharaoh were fragments of pepper, a plant indigenous to Malabar coast. And yet it had apparently travelled from flowering vines in Kerala to the hands of Egyptian embalmers as far back as over a millennium before Christ. During the examination, scientists made a remarkable discovery: fragments of pepper were found inside Ramses II's nostrils. This finding highlighted the ancient trade links between Egypt and the Malabar Coast in Kerala, as pepper was imported over a millennium before Christ and used by embalmers in mummification rituals. The conservation team also performed X-rays, endoscopic examinations, and other advanced scientific analyses to restore and preserve the pharaoh's remains, after which he was safely returned to Cairo in 1977. This incident is historically significant because it combined archaeology, chemistry, and forensics to preserve a 3,000-year-old mummy while revealing insights into ancient Egyptian trade and embalming practices.