Scientists have uncovered the mystery behind the death of a 3,000-year-old Egyptian mummy whose facial expression suggests she was screaming at the moment of her death. The woman, known as the "screaming woman," was discovered in Thebes in 1935. Her body was found with an open mouth and a contorted face, leading early researchers to suspect that her mummification had been poorly done. However, the presence of luxurious burial goods at the site, including imported resins and a carefully crafted wig, suggests that she was of high social status and received a dignified burial. The mummy was buried with members of the family of Senmut, a prominent royal architect and close associate of Hatshepsut, an 18th dynasty queen who ruled as pharaoh. Her body, linen wrappings, and wig were coated with expensive resins like frankincense and juniper. The wig, made from date-palm fibers and dyed with henna, was further decorated with a crystalline powder containing minerals such as quartz and magnetite. These details indicate that the embalming process was meticulous and not the result of a botched job. In 2024, researchers Sahar Saleem of Cairo University and Samia El-Merghani of Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities conducted a detailed analysis of the mummy using advanced, non-destructive techniques. These included X-rays, CT scans, and scanning electron microscopy. The study revealed that the woman was about 1.5 meters tall and likely died around the age of 48. Her facial expression, which appeared to be a scream, may have been caused by a rare phenomenon known as a cadaveric spasm. Unlike rigor mortis, which stiffens the entire body after death, a cadaveric spasm is a localized stiffening of specific muscles, often occurring at the moment of death. Researchers suggest that this could have caused her to appear as if she was screaming. They noted that the embalmers likely preserved her body in the contracted state, preventing the muscles from relaxing. This would explain why her mouth remained open. However, the exact cause of her death remains unclear, with possible causes ranging from a sudden medical event to a venomous snake bite. Despite these theories, the evidence does not confirm any one cause. What is clear is that the woman's agonizing final moments were unintentionally preserved for thousands of years.