Atherosclerosis Is Older Than Modern Society: What Ancient Mummies Teach Us About Heart Disease

Atherosclerosis has been around for millions of years. Researchers found evidence of atherosclerotic heart disease in mummies that lived over 4000 years ago. They used very hi-tech imaging methods to visualize the coronary anatomy of the hearts of mummified remains in the pyramids. The studies all reached the same conclusion; atherosclerosis was present in mummies and that’s most likely what killed them.

They also lived very short lives. They lived to an average age of 36-45 years (Horus cohort of 137 mummies, linked below).

 For decades, cardiovascular disease has been framed as a consequence of modern life—processed foods, sedentary behavior, stress, and smoking. But groundbreaking research examining ancient human mummies tells a far more nuanced story.

Advanced imaging of mummies from civilizations thousands of years old reveals a surprising truth:

Atherosclerosis is not a modern disease—it has been part of the human condition for at least 4,000 years.

This insight fundamentally changes how we should think about heart disease prevention, risk, and aging.

The Horus Mummy Studies: CT Scans Across 4,000 Years of Human History

One of the most influential investigations into ancient cardiovascular disease is the Horus Study, published in The Lancet.

What Did Researchers Do?

Using modern whole-body CT scanning, investigators examined 137 mummies from four distinct ancient populations:

• Ancient Egyptians
• Ancient Peruvians
• Ancestral Puebloans (Southwestern North America)
• Unangan (Aleutian Islanders)

These groups spanned vastly different diets, climates, and lifestyles—from hunter-gatherers to agrarian societies.

The Shocking Result

34% of all mummies had clear evidence of atherosclerosis.

Even more striking:

• Disease was found in aortas, carotid arteries, femoral arteries, and even coronary arteries
• Older age at death strongly correlated with more extensive disease
• Atherosclerosis appeared in every population studied

👉 Conclusion: Atherosclerosis is not exclusively driven by modern behaviors—it may be deeply linked to human biology and aging itself.

Coronary Artery Disease Existed in Ancient Egypt

An earlier landmark study published in JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging focused specifically on ancient Egyptian mummies.

Key Findings

• Among mummies with preserved cardiovascular anatomy, nearly half showed definite or probable atherosclerosis
• Calcified plaque was found in coronary arteries, carotids, aorta, and peripheral vessels
• One Egyptian princess (~1550 BCE) showed the earliest documented evidence of coronary artery disease in human history

This directly challenges the idea that coronary disease is a recent phenomenon caused solely by modern lifestyle.

Beyond Calcium: Detecting Early Cholesterol Plaque in Mummies

Most CT studies detect calcified plaque, which represents later-stage disease. But what about earlier, cholesterol-rich atherosclerosis?

A 2019 study published in the American Heart Journal used near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)—the same technology used in modern cath labs—to analyze ancient arterial tissue.

What They Found

• Cholesterol-rich plaques were present in all samples
• Minimal calcification was seen on micro-CT
• This suggests that atherosclerosis begins as soft, lipid-rich plaque, even in ancient humans

👉 This mirrors what cardiologists see today: disease begins silently, decades before symptoms.

What This Means for Modern Heart Disease Prevention

These studies don’t suggest lifestyle is irrelevant—far from it.

Instead, they reveal a critical insight:

Atherosclerosis = Biology + Environment + Time

Key takeaways:

• Humans may be biologically predisposed to atherosclerosis
• Aging and chronic inflammation play central roles
• Modern factors (diet, smoking, diabetes, inactivity) likely accelerate a process that already exists

This reframes prevention:

The goal isn’t just avoiding disease—it’s slowing a natural process and extending vascular healthspan.

The Modern Lesson from Ancient Hearts

If heart disease existed in ancient hunter-gatherers and royalty alike, then prevention must be proactive, early, and personalized.

That includes:

• Early risk assessment (not just cholesterol numbers)
• Inflammation awareness
• Lifestyle optimization
• Strategic use of modern therapies when appropriate

Ancient mummies didn’t have statins, blood pressure control, or advanced diagnostics.

We do.

Final Thought from America’s Cardiologist

Understanding that atherosclerosis is deeply rooted in human history should empower—not discourage—us.

Modern medicine gives us the tools to:

• Detect disease earlier
• Intervene more precisely
• Extend both lifespan and healthspan

The past reminds us of our vulnerability.
Science gives us the opportunity to change the future.

Studies on ASCVD in Mummies:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1050173814000541
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0002870319301711
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S014067361360598X
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(13)60598-X/fulltext
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1936878X11000660