The female mummy of the Lippisches Landesmuseum Detmold .The mummy is not just pharaohs wrapped in bad bandages.
The extraordinary mummy exhibition, launched on July 1 at the California Science Center in Los Angeles, stands out for its unprecedented gathering of mummies from diverse corners of the globe. In a collaborative effort between American Exhibitions Inc and Reiss-Engelhorn Museums, these mummies, sourced from Europe, South America, Oceania, and Asia, challenge the notion that only Egyptians mastered the art of preserving skin and hair, as reported by Heritage Key. Featuring approximately 150 mummies, the exhibit showcases a captivating array of both human and animal mummies. Notably, among the exhibits is the “Detmold child,” one of the oldest mummies ever discovered, originating from Peru. This poignant artifact, belonging to a 10-month-old who lived between 4504–4457 BC, adds a fascinating dimension to the exhibition.
Another captivating facet of the exhibition features the mummy of a German nobleman, discovered wearing his boots in the family tomb by his descendants. This marks the inaugural presentation of a mummy family, showcasing the unique connection between these preserved individuals. Adding to the intrigue, the exhibition also includes mummified animals that were entombed to accompany royalty into eternity.
The Fascination with the Deceased
The question arises: what is it about these impeccably preserved corpses that sparks our curiosity?
Pål Steiner, an Egyptologist and historian of religion at the University of Bergen, specializing in Egyptian religion, has delved into the realm of mummies. Last year, Haukeland’s radiologists conducted scans on the Bergen mummies to unravel mysteries surrounding their lives, deaths, and preservation methods. The intersection of history, religion, and science converges to provide answers to the enduring fascination with the enigmatic world of mummies.
“We are delving into the intricate details of individuals who walked the earth over a millennium ago. I believe the allure lies in the lives and deaths of these ancient beings,” says Steiner. The fascination with mummies is inherently tied to their antiquity and the remarkable preservation of their remains.
Steiner underscores the stark contrast between our modern perspective on death and that of the Egyptians, prompting us to question and contemplate. The act of preserving a corpse is a concept that few in our society entertain, caught between the options of cremation or burial in a coffin. In contrast, the Egyptians regarded the preservation of the entire body as a means of ensuring survival, unveiling a profound cultural divergence in our perceptions of mortality.
There are religious reasons behind the mummification. Real life began after death. Death was a form of salvation, one might say.
