
Scientists have fulfilled a mummified Egyptian priest’s wish for life after death – by replicating his voice with artificial vocal cords.
Nesyamun’s voice has been reproduced as a vowel-like sound that is reminiscent of a sheep’s bleat.
The priest lived during the politically volatile reign of Pharaoh Ramses XI, between 1099 and 1069BC.
As a priest in Thebes, Nesyamun would have needed a strong voice for his ritual duties, which involved singing.
When Nesyamun died, his voice fell silent, but 3,000 years on, a team of researchers have brought it back to life.
They have done so by producing a 3D-printed voice box based on Nesyamun’s vocal tract, which was scanned to establish its precise dimensions.