Cats' eyes in a new light: Fourier transform Raman spectroscopic and gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric study of Egyptian mummies

This study represents the first application of the combination of Raman spectroscopy as a non-destructive analytical technique with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) for the identification of materials used in the preparation of mummified remains from ancient Egypt. The artificial eyes from two mummified cats' heads from the Middle Kingdom period (ca. 1800 BC) were found to be largely keratotic in composition and their Raman spectra have a very close resemblance to the Raman spectra of modern cat's claw. A solvent-soluble portion of one of the eyes was analysed by GC–MS and found to comprise a complex suite of lipids. Although some can be attributed to surface contamination, the data support a contribution of a plant substance (possible a balsam) to the eyes. Clearly, the material of the artificial eyes is neither amber, as was previously suspected, nor any other plant resin which has been identified hitherto. The results of this work suggest that a previously unsuspected ritual in animal mummification may have been operational.