Medicine
Palaeopathological Evidence for Infectious Diseases in Ancient Nile Valley Populations
Quick fact
Calcified eggs of Schistosoma haematobium, the parasite causing schistosomiasis, have been found in the kidneys of 3,000-year-old Egyptian mummies, proving this infection plagued the Nile Valley thousands of years ago.
Why this is interesting
Ever wondered what diseases plagued the ancient Egyptians? Their mummified bodies and bones are silent witnesses, revealing diseases we still fight today.