BERLIN: Researchers say they’ve mimicked the voice of a 3,000-year-old Egyptian mummy by recreating much of its vocal tract using medical scanners, 3D printing and an electronic larynx.
In a paper published Thursday by the journal Scientific Reports, the authors say the technique allowed them to produce a single sound — somewhere between the vowels in ‘bed’ and ‘bad.’
The eerie tone is unlikely to be a precise reflection of the speech of Egyptian priest Nesyamun, whose mummified body the researchers worked with, because the tongue has lost much of its bulk over three millennia.
“We have made a faithful sound for his tract in its current position, but we would not expect an exact speech match given his tongue state,” said co-author David M. Howard of London’s Royal Holloway college.
The model alone also isn’t enough to synthesize whole words or sentences, the authors said, noting that this would require the ability to calculate the audio output from the vocal tract as its shape is being changed.
“But this is something that is being worked on, so it will be possible one day,” said Howard.
Rudolf Hagen, an ear, nose and throat expert at the University Hospital in Wuerzburg, Germany, who specializes in thorax reconstruction and wasn’t involved in the study, expressed skepticism. Even cutting-edge medicine struggles to give living people without a thorax a “normal” voice, he said.
Co-author John Schofield, an archaeologist at the University of York, said the technique could be used to help people interpret historical heritage.
“When visitors encounter the past, it is usually a visual encounter,” said Schofield. “With this voice we can change that, and make the encounter more multidimensional.”
“There is nothing more personal than someone’s voice, so we think that hearing a voice from so long ago will be an unforgettable experience, making heritage places like Karnak, Nesyamun’s temple, come alive,” he said.
Ancient voice: Scientists recreate sound of Egyptian mummy
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Ancient voice: Scientists recreate sound of Egyptian mummy
Pakistan traders seek waiver of port charges on Afghan cargo after re-export approval
- Afghan transit trade stalled after border closure following last year’s skirmishes between the two countries
- Government’s re-export approval allows stranded Afghan cargo to be shipped out without entering Pakistan
KARACHI: Pakistani traders and logistics operators are calling for waivers and rationalization of detention and demurrage charges incurred on Afghan transit cargo that remained stuck at ports after cross-border trade with Afghanistan came to a halt, according to a trade body statement issued on Saturday.
The appeal follows a government decision earlier this month allowing the re-export of stranded Afghan transit goods, after prolonged border closures prevented cargo from moving onward to Afghanistan, leaving containers immobilized at Pakistani seaports and border crossing points.
Afghan transit trade through Pakistan was disrupted following the closure of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border due to skirmishes between the two countries in October last year, causing congestion at ports and triggering escalating detention and demurrage charges. Industry representatives say the situation imposed a substantial financial burden on importers, clearing agents and transporters, even though the goods were never intended for Pakistan’s domestic market.
“[We have] been actively engaging with the Directorate General of Transit Trade (DGTT), South Asia Pakistan Terminals (SAPT), and other port and terminal operators, including through formal representations, to seek waivers and rationalization of detention and demurrage charges,” the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) said.
The chamber said it had taken up the matter of stranded Afghan transit trade goods with the Ministry of Commerce following a high-level meeting held on Jan. 10, after which the ministry issued a notification on Jan. 12 permitting the re-export of stranded cargo from the ports of Karachi and Gwadar and designated border crossing points.
PAJCCI said its coordinated engagement with government departments and terminal operators aims to ensure the re-export decision results in “practical relief on ground,” enabling the smooth clearance and movement of cargo while preventing further financial losses for the trade community.
Pakistan’s commerce ministry has not publicly commented on whether waivers on detention and demurrage charges will be granted.
