10 AM (EDT US) Introduction to Methods for the Study of Human Remains:

Dr. Anne Austin, University of Missouri-Saint Louis, explains how bones reveal their secrets.

Modern crime solvers are now able to figure out a victim’s sex, the approximate age at death, and an estimate of how long the bones have been in the dirt, the woods, or the sand.

Paleo-osteologists use similar techniques. In Egypt, they’re summoned to excavations whenever skeletons or mummified remains are uncovered. Learn how they "read" those long silent clues.

11 AM (EDT US) Fatal Injuries in Royal Mummies:

Dr. Sahar Saleem, Professor of Radiology, Cairo University, presents the latest research on the mortal remains of pharaohs Seqenenre Tao, Thutmose I, and Ramses III.

Seqenenre Tao, of the 17th dynasty, sustained wounds in a battle that liberated Egypt from Hyksos control.

His descendant, Thutmose I of the 18th dynasty, suffered wounds so severe that they that cut to the bone.

Finally, Dr. Saleem will explore whether the bones of 20th dynasty king Ramesses III can help solve the centuries old riddle of how he died in Luxor.

Noon-12:30 (EDT US): lunch break

12:30 PM (EDT US) When Bones Become Maps—Using Baboons to Track Ancient Trade Routes:

Dr. Nathaniel Dominy, Dartmouth University, updates his ground breaking research using radioactive isotopes.

Originally native to Egypt, baboons migrated south to wetter terrain as the ancient climate changed.

During pharaonic times, they were highly sought after as elite funeral offerings, living representations of the god Thoth, and hard-to-handle pets.

With elites willing to pay high prices to obtain such exotic creatures, expeditions were launched to capture them. Sources include the fabled land of Punt, whose exact location has remained a mystery for millennia. Can modern science and ancient bones work together to finally provide a map to Punt?

1:30 PM (EDT US) Remembering the Dead Through Facial Reconstruction:

Meg Swaney, doctoral candidate, Johns Hopkins University and Archaeological Museum, discusses the osteological and forensic evidence for two female mummies in the “Who Am I?” exhibition.

Ancient Egyptian mummies in museum collections around the world impose special obligations on museum staff.

This talk traces the post-mortem histories of two ancient Egyptian mummies as a means of considering some of the ethical challenges of preserving, displaying, and interpreting ancient human remains in modern museums.

Questions? You can always reach out to us at arce.dc.news at gmail.com