The story of the Egyptian artist Ala'a Waleeddin's body not decomposing even after 19 years since his burial continues to stir controversy, especially as it has trended on social media and raised more inquiries and questions. This debate was ignited by a surprising statement from the late artist's brother, recalling that the body was found intact and not decomposed when the grave was opened to relocate it due to flooding in the area.
Moez Waleeddin, brother of the late artist, revealed new secrets regarding why his brother's body has not decomposed. He stated, "The condition of my brother's body not decomposing is due to specific factors related to soil science, which I do not understand, and something similar happened before with the body of the artist Abdel Halim Hafez."
In response, Dr. Ayman Foda, former head of the Egyptian Forensic Medicine Authority, clarified the matter, stating in local newspapers that all bodies decompose, and there is no validity to claims regarding one body not decomposing compared to another. He noted that there are only two cases where decomposition may not occur: the first is if the body is buried in the desert, which requires a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius, unsuitable for the breakdown of beneficial bacteria.
Foda indicated that the second case occurs when the body is submerged in water, whether in the sea or the Nile, as water interacts with the fats in the body, making it similar to soap, thus making decomposition difficult. He further revealed that the bodies of the pharaohs remain intact to this day due to mummification and prolonged exposure to salt, asserting that non-decomposition is not related to religion but is fundamentally scientific.
Furthermore, Dr. Samar Abdel Azim, assistant professor in the Department of Forensic Psychiatry and head of a research unit at Ain Shams University, explained that not all bodies go through stages of decay and decomposition. Some may undergo changes if buried in excessively damp conditions, leading to a phenomenon known as "saponification," where the fats in the body turn into a soap-like substance that preserves the shape of the body for years after death.
