Belfast’s Oldest Resident is a Mystery That Keeps Unravelling

The Ulster Museum has much to admire, from its enviable location and grand facade to its impressive collection of art and free admission. But one exhibit stands out among all others and has been described as Belfast’s oldest citizen.

The mummy Takabuti is around 2,600 years old. She has been in the city since 1834 when Ballymenoch merchant Thomas Greg purchased the wooden case containing her remains and brought it to Belfast. Trading in mummies enjoyed a resurgence in the wake of the Napoleonic Wars as the trend known as Egyptomania reached its peak. Greg donated the mummy to the museum and her case has been investigated ever since.

A cultural phenomenon
Ancient Egypt has enjoyed a revival in modern culture. Film and TV franchises such as Stargate and God of Egypt along with games such as SMITE, Assassin’s Creed Origins and the Eye of Horus slot are amongst a wave of ancient Egyptian-inspired media, which have enjoyed great success over the last few decades. However, there is nothing like a real-life Egyptian mystery to spark the imagination. And Ulster Museum boasts one of the most intriguing..

New findings
Takabuti was first unwrapped in 1835 and much was learned at the time. But modern technology has helped to solve the mystery surrounding her death as well as possible lineage. A team from Manchester University began examining samples from the mummy back in 2018. Test results released in 2021 revealed that Takabuti was from a rare lineage that does not occur often in historic or modern populations. In fact, it was the first time this lineage had been discovered in any ancient Egyptian study.
DNA suggests her ancestors probably came from the Canary Islands, Lebanon, or southern Iberia. She may have even been born in one of these locations and relocated to Egypt later in life. This confirms that many scholars believe Ancient Egypt was a diverse society with a population boosted by immigrants from a rich mix of backgrounds. This would have been driven by trade as well as conflict.

Murder mystery
Tests also revealed that Takabuti didn’t die of natural causes. Of course, as this article from Nature.com outlines, these conclusions were established after using a range of modern tools including carbon dating, X-rays, and CT scans.

The fact that modern techniques can be used to reveal such aspects of an ancient individual’s life is exciting and it continues the work that started in 1835 when Ireland’s leading Egyptologist, Edward Hincks, decoded hieroglyphics from the sarcophagus and revealed that Takabuti was married and from a wealthy family. However, the reason for the attack which led to her death has yet to be uncovered. But with technology consistently being updated and techniques being recalibrated, there is hope that even more details of the lives of the Ancient Egyptian mummies can be revealed in the future.