Egyptian carving, achondroplasia taken in 1989

  • Carole Reeves
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view Egyptian carving, achondroplasia taken in 1989

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Egyptian carving, achondroplasia taken in 1989. Carole Reeves. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). Source: Wellcome Collection.

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Egyptian carving of achondroplasia, taken in 1989 Shows a male with achondroplasia, a short-limbed disorder due to a dominant genetic mutation. Achondroplasia is one of the most frequently depicted congenetial deformities of Ancient Egypt. This likeness of a dwarf named Djehor was carved on the grey granite lid of a dancer's sarcophagus from the Late Period (713-332 BCE), now in the Cairo Museum. The pictorial representation of dwarfs became stereotyped very early, and more that fifty Old Kingdom (2613-2181 BCE) tombs, mostly at Giza and Saqqara, are decorated with pictures of short people tending animals, carrying toilet objects or making jewellery.

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