Mummified unwraps the mysteries of ancient Egypt
Mummified, a new exhibit at the Walters Art Museum running through November, features ancient Egyptian artifacts depicting the process and result of mummification.
Ancient Egyptians performed an elaborate ceremony to prepare the dead for their journey into the afterlife. While some modern perspectives view their ideas about death as an obsession, the Egyptians considered it the beginning of a spiritual journey.
Mummification was only one aspect of Egyptian religious life, and the exhibit does well in displaying lesser known rituals like animal sacrifices. This exhibit will not magically transport you to an ancient, mystical land that helped birth civilization. For that, you'll have to pay upwards of $1,500 for a flight to Cairo. But the exhibit does reveal a great deal of knowledge about the ancient Egyptians' views of death.
A healthy appetite for Egyptian history would be needed to read through the entire exhibit. However, there are more than enough neat items to pique interest for the average museum-goer. The computer terminals near the entrance to the exhibit that summarize the history of mummification proved very helpful. In short, mummification originated in the desert around Egypt when people noticed the preservative properties of the sand on the dead. The first process may have been developed as early as 4000 B.C., and the first mummies were simply wrapped in cloth and buried in the sand. Highly advanced methods were developed over the centuries. Visceral organs were removed and placed in ceremonial containers called canopic jars for use in the afterlife (the brain was discarded). The linen became coated with plant resins and natural salts were used to dehydrate the body before embalming.
The main attraction showcases images of the Walters's mummy collected via the newly conceived use of CT scans. The centerpiece, a mummified young girl, is on display with coffin casing and numerous burial accessories. Additional scans were performed on other mummies in the exhibit, all of which were animals (it turns out some of those cool animal statues are not just statues). The reliquaries house the remains of once-honored animals that were associated with a particular deity, some showcasing impressive sculpting. These animals were worshiped throughout their lives and bred to be sacrificed. The scan images accompanying each mummy are quite fascinating, if a tad morbid when bones become visible upon closer inspection. Many objects that the Egyptians buried with their dead are displayed as well. A memorable piece was the shawabti figurine, which slightly resembles Russian nested dolls. These figures were meant to carry out the daily labors of the person in the afterlife, so the wealthier a person, the more figurines they had (up to 365).
Ancient Egyptians performed an elaborate ceremony to prepare the dead for their journey into the afterlife. While some modern perspectives view their ideas about death as an obsession, the Egyptians considered it the beginning of a spiritual journey.
Mummification was only one aspect of Egyptian religious life, and the exhibit does well in displaying lesser known rituals like animal sacrifices. This exhibit will not magically transport you to an ancient, mystical land that helped birth civilization. For that, you'll have to pay upwards of $1,500 for a flight to Cairo. But the exhibit does reveal a great deal of knowledge about the ancient Egyptians' views of death.
A healthy appetite for Egyptian history would be needed to read through the entire exhibit. However, there are more than enough neat items to pique interest for the average museum-goer. The computer terminals near the entrance to the exhibit that summarize the history of mummification proved very helpful. In short, mummification originated in the desert around Egypt when people noticed the preservative properties of the sand on the dead. The first process may have been developed as early as 4000 B.C., and the first mummies were simply wrapped in cloth and buried in the sand. Highly advanced methods were developed over the centuries. Visceral organs were removed and placed in ceremonial containers called canopic jars for use in the afterlife (the brain was discarded). The linen became coated with plant resins and natural salts were used to dehydrate the body before embalming.
The main attraction showcases images of the Walters's mummy collected via the newly conceived use of CT scans. The centerpiece, a mummified young girl, is on display with coffin casing and numerous burial accessories. Additional scans were performed on other mummies in the exhibit, all of which were animals (it turns out some of those cool animal statues are not just statues). The reliquaries house the remains of once-honored animals that were associated with a particular deity, some showcasing impressive sculpting. These animals were worshiped throughout their lives and bred to be sacrificed. The scan images accompanying each mummy are quite fascinating, if a tad morbid when bones become visible upon closer inspection. Many objects that the Egyptians buried with their dead are displayed as well. A memorable piece was the shawabti figurine, which slightly resembles Russian nested dolls. These figures were meant to carry out the daily labors of the person in the afterlife, so the wealthier a person, the more figurines they had (up to 365).
Be the first to comment on this story