Gynecomastia in the Ancient Egypt limestone statue of Hemiunu, the architect of the Great Pyramid of Giza (fl. 2570 BC)
is represented with marked signs of gynecomastia (Fig. 1) The pathology is probably emphasized in an attempt to adhere to the androgynous model, regarded as attribute of divinity by Ancient Egyptian religion and philosophy [1] Interestingly, the endocrinological features are frequent in pictures and statues of the Ancient Egypt, such as "Seneb with his wife Senet and their children" [2] The present report follows previous publications appeared in this journal referring to ancient artistic representations of gynecomastia [3] The Roemerund Pelizaeus Museum Hildesheim of Hildesheim, Germany, hosts a large collection of Ancient Egyptian artworks, one of the most remarkable of which is the sculpture dedicated to Hemiunu (fl. 2570 BC) the architect of the Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt. Nephew of the Pharaoh Kheops, as a member of the royal family, Hemiunu was a leading political figure of his time who served as vizier. In this limestone statue, discovered in 1912 in a monumental tomb in Giza, close to the royal pyramids, Hemiunu
Journal of Endocrinological Investigation