Fig 1.
Chehrābād salt mine; excavation site.
Photo taken by Frank Rühli.
Fig 2.
a-g: Photos of the salt mummies; a) SM1; b) SM2; c) SM3; d); thorax found nearby of SM1; e) SM5; f) SM6; g) leather shoe with lower leg, likely belonging to SM1, SM7 or SMX.
Photos taken by Frank Rühli (e, f, g), Abolfazl Aali (b, c) and Lena Öhrström (a, d).
Table 1.
Overview of the histology samples.
Fig 3.
a) axial slice and b) MPR reconstructions of the head of SM1.
Stars: Shrunken brain remnants.; arrows: Dura remnants; arrowhead: Spinal nerves and dura remnants. C: Dislocated clivus.
Fig 4.
Comparison of shoes for SM1 vs SM4.
a) 3D volume rendering of the shoe of SM4, b) sagittal MPR, c) 3D volume rendering of the lower leg of the assumed SM1, d) corresponding MPR. Note that no socks are worn.
Fig 5.
Sample numbers 106 & 112: Throat area. Note the well-preserved collagen fibers on the HE stain of sample 106. The Grocott stain shows multiple fungi (white arrow). 112: Note the collagen rich perivascular tissue (big arrow) and part of the tunica muscularis of an artery (big arrow). 104–2: Hair. 107: Throat area, the gram stain indicates a high amount of gram positive bacteria (arrow). The polarized light stain indicates crystalline birefringent substance mixed with the tissue. 111: Part of left rib, probably belonging to SM1 with bone (white arrow) and periostal soft tissue (black arrow) with collagen fibers and fatty tissue. Histological staining HE: Hematoxylin and eosin. EVG: Elastica Van Gieson PAS: Periodic acid-Schiff. Grocott: Silver stain for detection of fungi. Gram stain: For detection of bacteria.
Fig 6.
Histology samples of SM3, SM5, SM6 and SMX.
Bone samples from SM3, SM5 and SM6 showing normal necrotic cortical bone matrix. Note the intact osteon structure (circle). Arrowhead: Haversian canal with remnants of blood vessels. Arrow: Osteocyte lacuna. Samples 3305 and 3305 from the inner thorax of SMX, with unclear excavation context, show collagen fibers without assignable tissue. Histological staining HE: Hematoxylin and eosin stain, EVG: Elastica Van Gieson.
Fig 7.
Sample number 115: arm pit with skeletal muscle (a) and fatty tissue (b) with adipocytes (arrow). 116: os pubis with cartilage tissue (big arrow) and surrounding soft tissue with connective tissue (small arrow). 117: Pectoral muscle with skeletal muscle fibres (black arrow) and fatty vacuoles (white arrow). 118: Clavicle bone with normal ‘necrotic’ spongiosa. Histological staining HE: Hematoxylin and eosin. EVG: Elastica Van Gieson.
Fig 8.
a) sagittal and b) axial MPR of SM5 showing the probable trachea remnants (arrows). c) axial view and d) coronal MPR of the cranium of SM6. Arrows indicating fractures and disrupted sutures. Star: Soil.
Fig 9.
a) sagittal MPR of the vertebral column, b) coronal MPR, c) axial slice showing degenerative changes with osteophyte formation (arrow) and Schmorl’s node (arrowhead). d) 3D Volume rendering of the right side of the dentition (circle: Fractured 15) with sagittal 3D multiplanar reconstruction (insert). Arrow: Carious lesion on occlusal surface of tooth 48.