They were found in 1881 by Gaston Maspero and Brugsch when they unearthed the mummified remains of Ramses II, the third monarch of ancient Egypt’s 19th dynasty who reigned from 1279 to 13 BCE.
The skeleton appeared to be in good condition, given that it had been more than 3,000 years since he died and was mummified, and it had been displayed at the Cairo Museum ever since.
In 1976, however, a group of researchers discovered a shocking finding. The corpse seemed to be disintegrating at a rapid rate, and additional investigation revealed that the pharaoh was being eaten alive by 89 distinct types of fungus.
They continued to hunt for a treatment for his affliction and soon realized that they wanted to fly to France, where a team of specialists could go through the curative procedure.
Everything appeared to be normal until the crew learned that they had not yet been permitted to cross the border because the old Pharaoh, although having died more than 3,000 years ago, was still a human individual who required a passport to enter the nation.
The crew swiftly generated a passport for him, and when they returned to the border, officials greeted them warmly and apologized for the trouble.
Since then, the corpse has been repaired and is currently on exhibit in the Cairo Museum.
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