VOL. LIV.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 81 



away this outer pitch, there appeared very distinctly the tendons of the peroneus 

 anticus and posticus, the tendons of the extensor digitorum longus, and the 

 tendon of the tibialis anticus ; and besides these a considerable portion of the 

 ligaments of the tarsus. On examining the case formed by the pitch and fillets, 

 which had covered the right foot, and out of which the bones had been taken ; 

 there was a very plain mould left, in which there had been enclosed another root 

 similar to that discovered in the left foot ; and in which some of the external 

 shining skin of the root still remained. 



During this whole examination, excepting what was discovered in the feet, 

 there were not found the least remains of any of the soft parts. All the bones 

 of the trunk were bedded in a mass of pitch ; and those of the limbs were 

 covered with a thin coat of it, and then swathed in the fillets ; which (as has 

 been mentioned) in some places, where the pitch was very thin, seemed to ad- 

 here to the bone itself. The cavities of many of the bones, on being broken, 

 were found quite full of this substance : the metacarpal bones were so ; as were 

 the radii, and many others : the ribs, as before mentioned, were impregnated 

 with it ; and so burned, as to be with difficulty distinguished from it : in which 

 state also were the vertebrae and the bones of the pelvis. The pitch had also 

 penetrated into the cellular part of the head of the thigh bone ; the small bones 

 of the toes were quite full : but it had not entered into all the metatarsal bones. 

 From experiment it has been found that bones and fiesh being boiled in common 

 pitch, it will pervade the substance, and fill the cavities of the former : and the 

 latter will be so impregnated with it, as to be reduced to a uniform black brittle 

 mass ; not in the least resembling flesh. This treatment however will not ac- 

 count for the state in which this mummy was fomid ; for if the fiesh had not 

 been previously removed, though its appearance would have been entirely 

 changed, yet the filleting could never have been found in contact with the 

 bones. From this last circumstance it is most likely that the body, excepting 

 the feet, had been reduced to a skeleton before it was laid up ; it is also pretty 

 certain that it must have been kept some time in boiling pitch ; both before and 

 after some of the layers of the innermost filleting were laid on. The feet seem 

 to have been swathed, at least in part, before they were committed to the hot 

 pitch : and this seems to have pervaded the bandages, the flesh and the bones. 



It has been imagined, that the principal matter used by the Egyptians for 

 embalming, was the asphaltus ; but what Dr. H. found, was certainly a vege- 

 table production. The smell in burning was very unlike that of asphaltus ; nor 

 did it resemble that of the common pitch of the fir-tree ; being rather aromatic. 

 It was compared with a variety of resins and gum-resins ; but it seemed not to 

 resemble any of them, excepting myrrh ; and that but very slightly. In all 

 probability it was not a simple substance ; but might be a mixture of the resi- 



VOL. xu. M 



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