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

The study investigated the preservative condition and ultrastructure of hair from a 16th-century female mummy found in Paju in 2002. Using electron microscopy, researchers observed that the hair was remarkably intact, with well-preserved structures of the cortex, medulla, and cuticle. The cuticle layer consisted of six to seven cuticular cells, separated by an intercellular membrane complex. The cortex contained macrofibrils and melanin granules, with the latter aggregated near the cuticle layer. The preservation of the 440-year-old hair was attributed to a surface coat containing calcium, which likely hardened and prevented water or microorganism infiltration.