Archaeologists from Cairo University in Egypt discovered that ancient Egyptian children suffered from anemia. The results of the research are presented in a published article. magazine International Journal of Osteoarchaeology.
Experts studied 21 mummified children who died between the ages of 1 and 14. All mummies are dated to the Old Kingdom (3rd millennium BC) and Roman period (4th century AD). All mummies underwent CT scans, and the team also examined the mummies for anemia. They were able to detect obvious signs of the disease, such as the abnormal growth of skulls and bones of arms and legs.
Seven (33%) showed signs of anemia. This suggests that ancient Egyptian children suffered from growth defects and other health problems.
Anemia is a syndrome that is accompanied by a decrease in hemoglobin and erythrocyte content in the circulating blood and is characterized by impaired oxygen transport and the development of hypoxia. It is unclear exactly how anemia developed in children of that period. The disorder can be caused by malnutrition, iron deficiency in expectant mothers, chronic gastrointestinal problems, or infections. All these factors took place in ancient Egypt.
This study sheds light on what health problems were common in ancient societies. In the future, the scientists hope to repeat the study with a larger mummy sample to confirm the results.