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Egyptian Mummies

The ancient Egyptians  were known for their unique and intricate burial practices, which included the  preservation of the body through a process known as mummification. Mummies are  perhaps the most enduring and recognizable symbol of Ancient Egypt, and  continue to captivate and fascinate people around the world today.

 Mummification was  a complex and time-consuming process that involved the removal of the organs,  the application of preservatives and desiccants, and the wrapping of the body  in linen bandages. The aim was to preserve the body as a means of ensuring the  pharaoh's journey to the afterlife.

 Mummies have been  found in tombs throughout Egypt, from the pharaohs and their consorts to common  people, and have provided a wealth of information about Ancient Egyptian society,  beliefs, and culture.

An artist’s imaginary depiction of a pharaoh burning herbs in a ritual. Source: Fair use

Dealing in the Past: How Did Ancient Egyptians Get Nicotine and Cocaine?

The discovery of traces of nicotine and cocaine within 3,000-year-old human remains, which came to be known as Egypt’s cocaine mummies, raised curious questions amongst historians. Challenging...
Some of the baboon skulls for Ancient Egypt that were available for the study. Source: Bea De Cupere, CC-BY 4.0/PLoS ONE

Sacred Egyptian Baboons Suffered in Captivity, Finds Study

A recent study has investigated skeletal remains of 36 individual baboons spanning various age groups, dated from 800 to 500 BC, in ancient Egypt. The findings suggest that baboons were intentionally...
Left; Statuette depicting a worshipping baboon, Right; Baboon mummy.         Source: Left; Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0, Right; CC BY SA 2.0

Origin of Ancient Mummified Baboons in Egypt Found and Points to a Location for Punt

University of Konstanz Primatologists are using genetic analysis to determine the geographic origin of ancient, mummified baboons found in Egypt. In doing so the evidence points to an astonishing...
A carved and painted wooden coffin, depicting "Ta Djesa," the daughter of a high priest of Jehuty in Ashmunein uncovered at the Griefa cemetery Egypt.   Source: Ministry of Antiquities

High Officials and Priests Cemetery Yield Stunning Array of Artifacts in Egypt

Egypt‘s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities reveals a remarkable cemetery from the New Kingdom. This unprecedented discovery includes a 13 to 15-meter (42.65 to 49.21 feet) long scroll illustrating...
Mural of an Embalmer in Ancient Egypt. Source: Mary Harrsch / Flickr.

A Day In The Life Of An Egyptian Embalmer (Video)

In ancient Egypt, embalmers played a sacred role, ensuring a smooth transition to the afterlife . Their intricate techniques helped preserve the deceased's appearance and identity. This process was...
Ingredients Used to Embalm Egyptian Senetnay Prove Her Elite Status

Ingredients Used to Embalm Egyptian Senetnay Prove Her Elite Status

A team of scientists led by archaeologists from the Max Planck Institute in Germany have just completed a comprehensive analysis of the balm or embalming fluid used in mummification procedures...
The golden mummy of Lady Isaious, at the Manchester Museum. Source: Allan Gluck/CC BY-SA 4.0

Golden Mummy of Lady Isaious and Her Lavish Journey into the Afterlife

Sir William Matthew Flinders Petrie was one of the foremost Egyptologists and archaeologists of our time. Renowned for his discoveries in Egypt, as well as for pioneering systems of preserving...
Head and shoulders of an Egyptian mummy, the best-known of mummification methods.        Source: Andrea Izzotti/Adobe Stock

7 Fascinating Ways Ancient Cultures Mummified Their Dead

Mummies have long captured the imagination of people all over the world. These preserved remains offer a fascinating glimpse into the lives, beliefs, and traditions of ancient cultures. From the...
The Draa Abul Nagaa tomb being investigated. Source: Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities

Ancient Marvels Revealed: Exploring Draa Abul Nagaa's Hidden Tomb (360° Video)

In a remarkable archaeological find, the ancient tomb of Draa Abul Nagaa, dating back 3,500 years, has been unearthed in Egypt. This significant discovery provides valuable insights into the lives...
Embalming scene in underground chamber. Source: © Nikola Nevenov / Nature

Analysis Reveals Secret Recipe of Ancient Egyptian Embalming Fluids

Egyptian mummification has been a source of fascination for historians, archaeologists and scientists alike for centuries. A recent study conducted by German and Egyptian researchers has finally...
Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass, the director of the Egyptian excavation team, works at the site of the Step Pyramid of Djoser in Saqqara where the golden mummy and states were found. Source: Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities

Mummy Found Covered in Gold May be Oldest Ever Found in Egypt!

A Pharaonic tomb containing a mummy wrapped in a gold-covered leaf may be the oldest and most complete mummy found in Egypt to date. It has been uncovered in Saqqara, near the Step Pyramid. Estimated...
CT images of the mummy revealed amulets were placed on or inside the mummified body of the Golden Boy mummy, including a two-finger amulet discovered next to the boy’s uncircumcised penis. (Saleem, Seddik and el-Halwagy / CC BY 4.0)

Scans Reveal Magic Amulets Inside Egyptian Golden Boy Mummy

CT scans conducted during a recent study of the “Golden Boy” mummy, which was discovered in 1916 in southern Egypt, has revealed a hidden collection of 49 magical amulets, including many forged in...
Bea De Cupere from the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences with one of the mummified crocodiles. Source: Patricia Mora Riudavets / Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences

Mummified Crocodiles Sacrificed to the Gods Uncovered in Egypt

While performing excavations at a site known as Qubbat al-Hawā in southern Egypt in 2019, archaeologists from the University of Jaén in Spain made a strange and startling discovery. They unearthed a...
A golden mummy from Manchester Museum. Source: Allan Gluck / CC BY-SA 4.0

Mummification Had Nothing to Do With Preservation, Claims Exhibit

For over a century archaeologists and teachers have taught students that ancient Egyptians mummified corpses to “preserve” their bodies. Now, a disruptive new museum exhibit in the UK is set to...
Tattoo on the left femur of a mummified Egyptian woman buried at Deir el-Medina. Source: Anne Austin/University of Missouri-St. Louis

Not A Tramp Stamp: Thigh and Hip Tattoos Found on Female Egyptian Mummies

Ancient burial sites in Egypt have yielded tattooed mummies, that are predominantly female rather than male. Over time, various debates have arisen about who these mummies were, in terms of their...
A mummified falcon found in Egypt (rob Koopman / CC by SA 2.0)

Headless Mummified Falcons Found in Egyptian Temple Suggests Ancient Ritual

Archaeologists have discovered an ancient Egyptian temple with 15 mummified falcons, many of them headless and buried around a pedestal. The discovery suggests a previously unknown ritual performed...
A stone relief fragment in the Brooklyn Museum that could only be of Nefertiti, and now DNA testing will tell us if Nefertiti's mummy has finally been found.      Source: Brooklyn Museum / CC BY 2.5

Famed Egyptologist Proclaims Discovery of Queen Nefertiti’s Mummy

Has Queen Nefertiti’s mummy, one of ancient Egypt’s most celebrated New Kingdom rulers, finally been found? According to the world’s most famous Egyptologist, the answer to this question is “ yes ,”...
The Mummies of Qilakitsoq at the National Museum in Nuuk. Source: Kenny McFly / CC BY-SA 4.0

Ten Incredible Mummy Discoveries That Shocked the World

Mummies of humans and other animals have been found on every continent, both as a result of natural preservation through unique climatic conditions, and as intentionally preserved corpses for...
Egyptian mummy head found in an attic in Ramsgate, England. Source: James Elliot / Paleoimaging

Egyptian Mummy’s Head Discovered In English Attic Scanned

Archaeologists and hospital staff in England have been working together. They’ve CT scanned an ancient Egyptian mummy’s head that was discovered in an English attic. In the 1820s a 2,700-year-old...
Canopic jars recently found at the Abusir site.	Source: Egyptian Antiquities Authority

Stack of Mummification Materials Found In Abusir Tomb

A large cache of materials and artifacts connected with the embalming and mummification process used in ancient Egypt has been uncovered in a group of extraordinarily large burial wells at Abusir...
In a new breakthrough, scientists have digitally scanned the sarcophagus of pharaoh Amenhotep I to reveal a stunning image of his actual head and body.		Source: S. Saleem and Z. Hawass / Frontiers in Medicine

Digital Scan of Ancient Egyptian Mummy Amenhotep I Shows His True Face

The 3,500-year-old mummy of Egyptian pharaoh Amenhotep I had remained virtually unexamined since its discovery at Luxor, Egypt in 1881. As one of the few royal mummies from ancient Egypt yet to be...
The three reconstructed mummy faces taken from 3 ancient Egyptian mummies. Source: Parabon NanoLabs

Three 2000-year-old Egyptian Mummy Faces Reconstructed!

You can now see what three Egyptian men living more than 2000 years ago in the ancient Egyptian city of Abusir el-Meleq really looked like thanks to forensic DNA phenotyping and other advance...
An Egyptian Mummy

Did Egyptian Mummification Descend from a More Ancient and, Perhaps, Reversible Preservation Technique?

A central concept in the novel The Sphinx Scrolls is whether a mummification technology has ever existed that could preserve someone for long periods and retain the potential to bring them back to...
Revealing the Face and Identity of the Controversial Mummy KV55

Revealing the Face and Identity of the Controversial Mummy KV55

Ever since mummy KV55 was discovered in 1907, it has generated deep interest, debate, and controversy. The big issues have been identifying the KV55 mummy in ancient Egyptian history and combining...

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