The mystery of the Persian mummy: original or fake?

Abstract We report on the 14 C dating of a mummy found two years ago in the western part of Pakistan. According to the drawings and inscriptions on the coffin it was thought to be the daughter of Xerxes, the great king of ancient Persia (518–465 BC). AMS measurements were performed on pieces of textile, straw mat and charcoal resulting in a 14 C content of about 113 pMC instead of an expected value of 75 pMC. Additional measurements of bone-, skin- and muscular tissue samples suggested the individual died in AD 1994–1996 and revealed the mummy to be a modern fake.