Meet the ancient Egyptian mummy with an abnormally large brain: Scientists reconstruct the face of a 14-year-old elite who suffered from a rare medical condition 2,300 years ago

The face of an ancient Egyptian mummy with an abnormally large brain has been revealed for the first time in 2,300 years.

The mummy was an ancient Egyptian elite, and was just 14 years old when he sadly died.

Minirdis was the scion of a holy family and, before his death, was set to inherit the job of his father, Inaros – a priest of the Egyptian fertility god, Min.

But he died around age 14 and his mummified remains were interred in Akhmim cemetery, Upper Egypt, where they were found in 1925.

Now, scientists trying to rebuild his face have diagnosed the teen with a rare medical condition.

The face of an ancient Egyptian mummy with an abnormally large brain has been revealed for the first time in 2,300 years

Minirdis was the scion of a holy family and was set to inherit the job of his father, Inaros – a priest of the Egyptian fertility god, Min. But he died around age 14 and his mummified remains were interred in Akhmim cemetery, Upper Egypt, where they were found in 1925

Cicero Moraes, lead author of the upcoming study, says Minirdis had megalencephaly – a disorder characterised by an abnormally large brain.

He said: ‘Something bothered me about the structure and, when studying the skull volume values, we were impressed by its size.

‘I noticed that the coffin seems to be for a person older than the mummy, but even so, the head takes up almost the entire length of it.

Now, scientists trying to rebuild his face have diagnosed the teen with a rare medical condition

Minirdis’ likeness was rebuilt using a digitised model of his skull, to which soft tissue was added, with the process guided by data from living people – including the relevant age group

‘Therefore, the death mask had been rotated, otherwise it would not have been possible to close the coffin.’

He continued: ‘A skull can be considered megalencephalic if the circumference of the head is above 2.5 standard deviations for the individual’s age and sex.

‘In this case, head circumference and brain volume are three standard deviations above.’

Minirdis’ likeness was rebuilt using a digitised model of his skull, to which soft tissue was added, with the process guided by data from living people – including the relevant age group.

Additionally, the skull and skin structure of a donor were virtually recreated, and then deformed until they matched the dimensions of Minirdis, revealing his true face.

Now, scientists trying to rebuild his face have diagnosed the teen with a rare medical condition

Minirdis’ likeness was rebuilt using a digitised model of his skull, to which soft tissue was added, with the process guided by data from living people – including the relevant age group

Mr Moraes, a Brazilian graphics expert, said: ‘It is a young and innocent face.

‘The eyes from thousands of years ago observe the people of the present that are searching for answers about their past.’

The names of the mummy and his father are known due to an inscription on the coffin.

Cicero said the teenager would have led a gilded life.

He said: ‘It is clear that his life was potentially full of material and spiritual abundance, since his father was part of the religious elite.’

Despite his diagnosis, however, his cause of death remains mysterious.

Megalencephaly can be benign, but it can also cause developmental delays, intellectual disability, seizures and even paralysis.

Today, Minirdis’ remains are in the collection of Chicago’s Field Museum.

Mr Moraes and his co-authors, Francesco Maria Galassi and Michael Habicht, are awaiting academic formalization before they publish their study.