egypt-museum:

Mummy returns: Voice of 3,000-year-old Egyptian priest brought to life

Scientists have fulfilled a mummified Egyptian priest’s wish for life after death - by replicating his voice with artificial vocal chords.

Nesyamun’s voice has been reproduced as a vowel-like sound that is reminiscent of a sheep’s bleat.

The priest lived during the politically volatile reign of pharaoh Ramses XI, between 1099 and 1069BC. As a priest in Thebes, Nesyamun would have needed a strong voice for his ritual duties, which involved singing.

When Nesyamun died, his voice fell silent, but 3,000 years on, a team of researchers have brought it back to life. They have done so by producing a 3D-printed voice box based Nesyamun’s vocal tract, which was scanned to establish its precise dimensions. Read more.