Hospital scan for Egyptian mummy in Essex
An Essex hospital has been given an Egyptian mummy a full body scan, which could possibly reveal how she died.
Lady Ta-Hathor, estimated to be 2,500 years old, has been kept in Colchester Castle Museum collection since 1871.
The mummy is being moved to the Ipswich Museum later to become a permanent exhibit in the new Egyptian Gallery.
On the way she was given the scan at The Oaks Hospital in Colchester to find out more about her life and whether she has any internal organs.
Although Lady Ta-Hathor has been X-rayed before, it is hoped the scan will also show the level of mummification her body received.
It is believed she died in her mid-20s from natural causes.
She was donated to the then Colchester Museum in 1871 by George H. Errington from Colchester.
Mr Errington had chartered a boat to sail up the Nile in 1856 and while at a cemetery in Luxor, Egypt, bought the mummy for seven sovereigns.
Previous X-rays have shown she had a full set of teeth but they came loose on her journey to Britain.
Vanessa Bobby-Rose, radiology manager hospital, said: "CT scanning is a non-invasive technique which will enable us to look inside Lady Ta-Hathor without the need to unwrap her.
"It gives us an opportunity to use modern technology to examine an object preserved by ancient technology."