Egyptian woman who tragically died during childbirth
The skeleton of an ancient Egyptian woman who tragically died during childbirth has been found alongside her tiny foetus (pictured)
The skeleton of an ancient Egyptian woman who tragically died during childbirth has been found alongside her unborn baby.

The woman, who died 3,700 years ago at the age of 25, was in the final weeks of pregnancy and officials believe she died following the start of labour.

She was buried in a graveyard used between 1750 BC and 1550 BC by nomadic people travelling north into the region of Nubia.

Experts from Yale University and the University of Bologna found the remains at the Kom Ombo archaeological project in Aswan, around 530 miles (852km) from Cairo.

Mustafa Waziri, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said that the cemetery was used by travellers during the second transition period, between 1750 and 1550 BC.

The foetus is already in the birthing position with its head-down within the woman's pelvis.

Experts say the woman seems to have been suffering from a fracture that was not treated correctly and most likely led to her death.

The woman's skeleton was wrapped in a leather shroud and surrounded by pottery, including an Egyptian jar that was worn out it had been used so much.

ostrich egg beads
The woman, who died 3,700 years ago at the age of 25, was in the final weeks of her pregnancy and officials believe she died following the start of labour. She was also buried with beads made from an ostrich egg (pictured)
pottery
The woman's skeleton was wrapped in a leather shroud and buried with lots of pottery, including an Egyptian jar (pictured) that was worn out it had been used so much
She was buried with a polished red and black container that were made in ancient Nubia at the time.

She was also buried with beads made from an ostrich egg.

These objects were laid with her body by family members in order to honour her memory.

Just earlier this month Egyptian archaeologists discovered a pottery workshop in Kom Ombo that dated back 4,500 years.

The find - which included a stone pottery wheel - provided a glimpse into daily life from millenia ago.

The workshop was built during the Fourth Dynasty of ancient Egypt (between 2613 and 2494 BC), a statement said, the same period in which the famous pyramids of Giza were constructed.


Comment: There's very little evidence the pyramids were, or could have been, constructed during that period.


'It is one of the rare finds that sheds light on daily life, industrial activities and the development of art in ancient Egypt,' Mr Waziri said in the statement.

He said it showed 'the improvement and adaptation' of tools during the period as people 'responded to the demands of daily life'.

egypt
Just earlier this month Egyptian archaeologists discovered a pottery workshop in Kom Ombo that dated back 4,500 years
WHAT COULD NEW DISCOVERIES IN THE NILE VALLEY REVEAL ABOUT ANCIENT EGYPT?

Researchers from the University of Chicago recently discovered two ancient buildings in southern Egypt.

They reveal much about the country's history, but they also left archaeologists with new questions.

The preservation of one of the buildings is curious to the researchers, who find it odd that the building wasn't stripped of its materials after they believe it was abandoned.

Pictured is an archaeologist from University of Chicago examining remains from ancient Egypt. Researchers recently found two buildings that were built during a turning point in the country's history: when pharaohs became interested in provincial regions

The trend at the time was to take from buildings any useful materials when abandoning them, but the building was left untouched. This is strange considering that wood was a rarity in the region.

Researcher Nadine Moeller said: 'It's such a unique site. We've had a hard time finding architectural parallels because no other settlement in Upper Egypt has such extensive remains from this time period. We've learned so much, and there's still more to come.'