Studies on the Preservative Condition and the Ultrastructure of Hair of Newly Found Sixteenth Century Mummy in Paju

The study examined the preservative condition and ultrastructure of hair from a 16th-century female mummy found in Paju in 2002. Using scanning and transmission electron microscopes, researchers observed that the hair was remarkably intact, with well-preserved structures of the cortex, medulla, and cuticle. The cuticle layer consisted of 6 to 7 cuticular cells, and the cortex contained macrofibrils and melanin granules. The preservation of the 440-year-old hair was attributed to a surface coat containing calcium, which likely prevented water and microorganism infiltration.