Stuart James Fleming

The Egytian mummy : secrets and science is a tie in to an exhibit held at the University Museum at the University of Pennsylvania. (The museum is dedicated to archaeology and anthropology.) In it, the history of the dead and the afterlife is explored in roughly chronological order, from the pre-dynastic period to the Byzantine era. By means of words, drawings and photographs, the secrets come alive. Most photos are in black and white but the few color photographs are excellent. (The museum has an internet site where images of their own collections are highlighted: The University Museum. But be aware that the exhibit borrowed items from other collections. There are also sites listed which can be accessed from the home page of the Museum.) The text is enhanced by a timeline of ancient Egypt, a glossary, and a map. There is also a brief bibliography but no citation is newer than 1980.

I didn't realize that there were so many ways to mummify and that practices changed over time as did religious belief. In many early dynasties, only the pharaoh was thought to merit eternal life. Mummification was in the high stages and included removing all internal body parts except the heart and placing them in canopic jars. Much later burials removed the parts but wrapped them with the body. Today more can be discovered about mummies than previously by using x-ray and other techniques.

This is a basic understanding of the death rites and gods of the Egyptians. There are many books on ancient Egyptian history and customs that explore the topic in more detail. LibraryThing lists many such books under its recommendations page for this book.… (mer)