Egyptian Princess Mummy Had Oldest Known Heart Disease
A "petite" Egyptian royal who would have needed double bypass surgery may offer new clues to the causes of clogged arteries, experts say.
Known as Ahmose Meryet Amon, the princess lived some 3,500 years ago and died in her 40s. She was entombed at the Deir el-Bahri royal mortuary temple on the west bank of the Nile, opposite to the city of Luxor. (Take an ancient-Egypt quiz.)
The princess's mummified body is among those now housed at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
Recent scans of 52 of the museum's mummies revealed almost half of the dead have clogged arteries—including the princess. In fact, she is now the earliest known sufferer of coronary atherosclerosis, a condition caused by a buildup of arterial plaque, which can lead to heart attack or stroke.
