Researchers Reconstruct a 3000-Year-Old Egyptian Mummy's Vocal Tract and Get It To Speak. 'Wish Come True'.

Science is jumping ahead by leaps and bounds, with each of its latest innovations leaving people more stunned than before. In 2020, experts achieved something that many would have thought was downright impossible. They managed to get a 3,000-year-old Egyptian mummy to speak again, Live Science reported. 

The pursuit of getting an Egyptian mummy to speak was not easy, and the biggest problem was the ethics behind such actions. But a little look at the inscription on the mummy's tomb gave the researchers their go-ahead call. Findings regarding this achievement have been published in Scientific Reports. 

This miraculous feat was achieved through the reconstruction of the mummy's vocal tract. The mummy is of a famous priest named Nesyamun and was discovered at Karnak. It was transported to the Leeds City Museum in England in 1823.

Nesyamun's mummy was specifically chosen for the project because of the state in which it was found, Live Science reported. "It was particularly suited, given its age and preservation [of its soft tissues], which is unusual," David Howard, the lead author of the new research said.

Nesyamun lived during the reign of Pharaoh Ramses XI, between 1099 and 1069 B.C., BBC reported. He was active in Thebes and used his voice to conduct ritual duties which involved singing. Researchers created a 3D-printed voice box based on the priest's vocal tract to generate the voice that commanded the respect of so many. The vocal tract and an artificial larynx were combined to recreate a single vowel sound, in what the experts believe was Nesyamun's voice. 

The recreation was not simple and got further complicated because of the position in which the mummy's head was placed and the way it had deteriorated over time, Live Science reported.

"Nesyamun's vocal tract posture is not set for speaking any specific vowel; rather it is set appropriate for his burial position," the researchers stated. "In addition, his tongue has lost much of its muscle bulk, and his soft palate is missing." Still, researchers with their expertise managed to complete their reconstruction. 

People raised multiple ethical concerns regarding the whole pursuit, like how it invaded the mummy's dignity, BBC reported. Archeology professor John Schofield defended the project claiming that they were following the priest's wishes.

He pointed towards an inscription on the mummy's tomb where Nesyamun expressed his wish to be heard in the afterlife. "It's actually written on his coffin - it was what he wanted," Prof Schofield explained. "In a way, we've managed to make that wish come true."

There have been previous efforts that aimed at recreating ancient-era voices, but researchers associated with Nesyamun's project believe their result is the most accurate because of their methods, Live Science reported. Their sound comes from "an extant vocal tract preserved over three millennia," the researchers wrote in the study. Researchers are now hoping that further advancement can help them as well as others in hearing Nesyamun's longer speeches in his voice.