Why do Egyptian mummies have reddish hair?
The hair color of mummies or buried bodies can change. Hair contains a mixture of black-brown-yellow eumelanin and red pheomelanin. Eumelanin is less chemically stable than pheomelanin and breaks down faster when oxidized. It is for this reason that Egyptian mummies have reddish hair. The color of hair changes faster under extreme conditions. It changes more slowly under dry oxidizing conditions (such as in burials in sand or in ice) than under wet reducing conditions (such as burials in wood or plaster coffins).
More Info:
wikicityguide.org
What are your thoughts on this subject?
9 Comments
Kim Hernandez
Wrong answer again.
Richard G. Gomsrud
I couldn't find any source to support the purported reason but lots identifying henna as the reason. Add this one to the long, long list of incorrect answers.
teacherchicky
Not true! Egyptians used henna before the burial process! If you're going to ask a question at least know the real answer!
John McLardie
Whilst the ancient Egyptians did, in fact, use henna solution to dye their hair there is no evidence to suggest that this was widespread. In fact many ancient Egyptians had naturally occurring red, or even blond, hair.
When, for example, the Egyptians invited the French to preserve the mummy of Rameses II they discovered that at the time of his death at 87 his hair was white but dyed red with a henna solution. On examining the roots of his hair they discovered that his natural hair colour was red.
It would seem that ancient Egyptians had as many natural hair colours as we have today.
Richard D. Boyle
Very questionable answer broke my string. Lots of support in research for dye in general and henna in particular. None for the answer given.
Albeck1994
Actually new research suggests it is their natural hair colour, as experiments with matron had no effect. This question needs amending
Julie Allen
John Moore, If the answer is wrong how do you account for the Tarim mummies in China, Gebelein man in Egypt and the Lovelock Cave remains in Nevada all having red hair?
Steve Braccini
I also found the same information as you, John Moore, on the website https://hiddenincatours.com/the-mystery-of-ancient-egypts-red-haired-mummies/.
John Moore
From a description on a mummy after having been removed from his bandages from Lisapo ya Kama the African history site "The long nose gives him the look of a Black with Fulani or Somali features. His straight and red hair is certainly the result of the use of natron and henna. Henna was probably used on the hair in the beautification phase of the mummy" Please note, this proves that the answer given is wrong. It is a mixture of the dying of their hair using henna and the use of natron in the mummification process.