As one of those weird kids who was way too into ancient Egypt, the news that went all over the internet of a team of scientists recreating the voice of a mummy immediately got my attention. Mostly because I’ve been laughing at the sound since the second I heard it.
The mummy voice in question belongs to a guy named Nesyamun who died 3000 odd years ago. From the inscriptions on his coffin, we actually know a fair bit about him – he was a priest of the temple of Amun in Thebes, an incense-bearer, and a scribe who died during the reign of Ramses XI. He was from the ancient state temple of Karnak in Thebes, where Luxor is today.
Before we delve into how the scientists managed this, here’s his voice. As a warning, I listened to it on the train this morning and snorted in a carriage full of people.
Yeah.
Turns out Nesyamun was so well mummified that his whole vocal tract was still intact. The shape and measurements of someone’s vocal tract are what affect their voice, so after running him through a scanner to get those measurements, scientists from Leeds Museum 3D printed a replica vocal tract.
It wound up looking like this.
So with a 3D replica vocal tract in hand, the team ran some air through it and got the eerrrghgghgghhg sound that’s been killing me all day.
Speaking of raising the dead, listen to the GOAT team chat about James Dean’s thriving acting career…
The work that’s gone into this is clearly very impressive, but I’d love to know what Nesyamun would have thought about this. Cause I’m not the only one who has spent the whole day cry-laughing over it.
I don’t think humans have evolved that much over the last 3000 years, surely our voices aren’t that different. I’d say there’s a good chance that if you went down to Luxor and spoke to a guy of about the same age as Nesyamun (mid 50s, by the way) you’d be getting close. Something tells me poor old Nesyamun didn’t sound like Minecraft villagers every time he spoke when he was alive.
So I’m sorry, Nesyamun. This is a major scientific breakthrough for us, but probably not the most dignified moment for you.
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