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To the Editor: Pathological study of mummified soft tissue may help detect epidemiological patterns of disease in ancient populations.¹ We hypothesized that by using a sensitive and specific cardiac troponin (cardiac troponin I [cTnI]) assay,² we could detect molecular evidence of a myocardial infarction (MI) in the mummified tissue of an individual in whom other forensic and historical evidence suggested sudden cardiac death. Such a demonstration would allow case studies of heart disease in historical populations, similar to ongoing investigations into ancient patterns of parasitic disease.¹

Horemkenesi was a foreman of craftsmen excavating and decorating the tombs of the pharaohs of the 20th dynasty (c 1050 BC) at Thebes,³ where he supervised workmen camping on the desert plateau during their 10-day shifts. He was also a priest of Amun, and his responsibilities required frequent journeys of several miles in the desert. Forensic study of his mummy indicates that at about . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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