Mummified unwraps the mysteries of ancient Egypt
Another theme of the exhibit concerns the popular culture and lore surrounding mummies. Mummies were believed to contain incredible medicinal power, particularly throughout the 17th century and even into the early 20th century. The display even contains a pharmacy advertisement for cases of mummy powder. A surge in interest during the 17th century by European collectors created a market for fake mummies. These fabrications became common and some were convincing enough to be considered authentic. Enough were produced that mummies even became a party theme, as shown by a flyer advertising an unraveling party.
The rooms housing the exhibit were lackluster. The only impressive décor was the entrance, a scaled-down gateway to a temple complete with hieroglyph-covered walls. The dark gray shade of the walls inspired sleep more than curiosity. The low lighting did not help matters when it came to reading the blurbs about each object. However, the displays were featured prominently with adequate lighting. One room featured mostly religious statues, a second featured daily tools and accessories and the third held the human mummy itself.
The first two rooms were a bit dull, though no one would have noticed because I was the only person (minus the guard) viewing the exhibit at the time. This is a shame, as the Walters currently features free general admission, is a block from the Peabody stop on the JHMI shuttle and is simply gorgeous. A word of advice: Enter via the Charles Street side. The main entrance does not contain anything notable and the hallways used to access the exhibits hardly befit the marvel of the museum proper.
Mummified may feel a bit creepy, a bit morbid or even a bit moldy (I kid), but these qualities pale in comparison to the humbling power of a millennia-old mummy. The impact cannot even be grasped by people in the moment, as we tend to just pass by and glance, thinking, "Wow, that's old." The girl was buried thousands of years ago, and her sarcophagus and burial accessories are still intact! Do you know what your iPhone will be in thousands of years? Or you, for that matter? Dust, and hopefully still terrestrial and not the cosmic kind. Taken in this light, the Walters's Mummified is truly a wonder to behold.
The rooms housing the exhibit were lackluster. The only impressive décor was the entrance, a scaled-down gateway to a temple complete with hieroglyph-covered walls. The dark gray shade of the walls inspired sleep more than curiosity. The low lighting did not help matters when it came to reading the blurbs about each object. However, the displays were featured prominently with adequate lighting. One room featured mostly religious statues, a second featured daily tools and accessories and the third held the human mummy itself.
The first two rooms were a bit dull, though no one would have noticed because I was the only person (minus the guard) viewing the exhibit at the time. This is a shame, as the Walters currently features free general admission, is a block from the Peabody stop on the JHMI shuttle and is simply gorgeous. A word of advice: Enter via the Charles Street side. The main entrance does not contain anything notable and the hallways used to access the exhibits hardly befit the marvel of the museum proper.
Mummified may feel a bit creepy, a bit morbid or even a bit moldy (I kid), but these qualities pale in comparison to the humbling power of a millennia-old mummy. The impact cannot even be grasped by people in the moment, as we tend to just pass by and glance, thinking, "Wow, that's old." The girl was buried thousands of years ago, and her sarcophagus and burial accessories are still intact! Do you know what your iPhone will be in thousands of years? Or you, for that matter? Dust, and hopefully still terrestrial and not the cosmic kind. Taken in this light, the Walters's Mummified is truly a wonder to behold.
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