Mummy's False Toe May Have Been Functional Prosthetic
A replica of an articulated prosthetic toe found attached to a mummy in the Cairo Museum will be tested on living volunteers to see if it assists in walking. If it's functional, it would be the oldest such prosthetic known. Steve Mirsky reports.
SUBSCRIBE TO Science Quickly
On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
The earliest known practical prothesis is an artificial leg dating back to 300 BC. But British researchers are checking out a significantly older wood and leather fake toe found still attached to its mummy in the Cairo Museum. They want to see if it served more than a cosmetic purpose and perhaps was important in helping its owner, ya know: (Walk Like An Egyptian Music.) Sorry. The mummy has been informally dubbed…Toe-tankhamun. Sorry again. What’s particularly interesting about the false toe is that it’s articulated, and it shows signs of wear. So it may indeed have helped the woman who wore it walk better. And it dates from somewhere between 600 and 1000 BC, making it older than the so-called Roman Capua leg, which was made of bronze and survived the Punic Wars, but didn’t make it through World War II. The leg was destroyed during the bombing of London. Anyway, scientists have made an exact duplicate of the mummy’s digit to test on volunteers who are missing a right big toe, to see whether it’s really functional. That research is afoot.
It’s Time to Stand Up for Science
If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.
I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.
If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.
In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.
There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.
