From Egyptian Desert to Scottish Highlands – the radiographic study of a Twenty-Fifth Dynasty coffin and mummy bundle from the Perth Museum and Art Gallery, Scotland

Since 1936, the Perth Museum and Art Gallery, Scotland, has curated a wrapped ancient Egyptian human mummy within a wooden anthropoid coffin. In June 2013, funding was procured to transport the mummy and coffin to the University of Manchester for radiographic study, whereby information regarding the life and death of the individual was sought.The mummy and coffin were imaged using digital radiography (DR) and computed tomography (CT) at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital. The process revealed that the bundle contained the mummified remains of a single human individual, which had suffered extensive skeletal disruption. This paper focuses on the radiographic analysis of the artefact

Post-mortem restorations in ancient Egyptian animal mummies using imaging

Animal mummy bundles in museum collections are evaluated through the application of imaging and are categorised as true, those containing skeletal remains, and pseudo, those containing non-skeletal remains. True mummies exhibited a variety of compositions, and frequently contained less than one complete individual despite the external appearance; an explanation for which has been ancient forgery. The analysis of animal mummy bundles in the Ancient Egyptian Animal Bio Bank, University of Manchester, suggested that in some instances this explanation may be inaccurate. This paper discusses nine mummy bundles, which displayed a variety of post-mortem modifications interpreted in two ways: the necessity for physical completion and the concept of the mummy bundle (rather than the content) as the primary representation of the deceased

The weird and the wonderful – The scientific study of a miniature mummy

A human-faced oddity purported to be a ‘human baby, animal mummy or fake’ constructed in an ancient Egyptian style, was analysed at the KNH Centre for Biomedical Egyptology, University of Manchester, UK. Radiographic analysis using conventional radiography (X-ray) and computed tomography (CT) highlighted the nature of the bundle contents and identified marked similarities to mummified animal remains from ancient Egypt. Small samples were analysed using microscopy, environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). ESEM was used to assess the homogeneity of the sample and the materials used in its construction. EDS was conducted for analysis of the elemental composition.Comparatively few miniature mummies of this type are known and they represent an intriguing area of mummy studies. The results of this research have allowed comparisons with contemporary human and animal mummies to be made.Based on residues of tin plating found on the underside of the mask, it is possible that this feature is a recent addition. Further analysis of the materials used in the construction of the artefact is required to ascertain if the mask is a contemporary feature

Ancient Egyptians in Lithuania: A scientific study of the Egyptian mummies at the National Museum of Lithuania and the MK Čiurlionis National Museum of Art

Since 2011, ancient Egyptian mummified human remains from collections in Lithuania have been subjected to scientific analysis in an attempt to assess the lives and deaths of the individuals, and how their bodies were treated after death in order to achieve bodily preservation. In total, six mummies were studied using computed tomography to obtain the maximum amount of useful data in a non-invasive manner. This paper outlines the aims of the research, what has been done to date and the plans for future work on this corpus of material

Organic residue analysis of Egyptian votive mummies and their research potential

YesVast numbers of votive mummies were produced in Egypt during the Late Pharaonic, Ptolemaic, and Roman periods. Although millions remain in situ, many were removed and have ultimately entered museum collections around the world. There they have often languished as uncomfortable reminders of antiquarian practices with little information available to enhance their value as artefacts worthy of conservation or display. A multi-disciplinary research project, based at the University of Manchester, is currently redressing these issues. One recent aspect of this work has been the characterization of natural products employed in the mummification of votive bundles. Using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and the well-established biomarker approach, analysis of 24 samples from 17 mummy bundles has demonstrated the presence of oils/fats, natural waxes, petroleum products, resinous exudates, and essential oils. These results confirm the range of organic materials employed in embalming and augment our understanding of the treatment of votives. In this first systematic initiative of its kind, initial findings point to possible trends in body treatment practices in relation to chronology, geography, and changes in ideology which will be investigated as the study progresses. Detailed knowledge of the substances used on individual bundles has also served to enhance their value as display items and aid in their conservation.RCB is supported by a PhD studentship from the Art and Humanities Research Council (43019R00209). L.M. and S.A.W. are supported by a Leverhulme Trust Research Project Award (RPG-2013-143)

On a Wing and a Prayer: Ibis Mummies in Material Culture at Abydos

The production of millions of artificially mummified animals by the ancient Egyptians is an extraordinary expression of religious piety. Millions of creatures of numerous species were preserved, wrapped in linen and deposited as votive offerings; a means by which the Egyptians communicated with their gods. The treatment of animals in this manner resulted in a wealth of material culture; the excavation and distribution of which formed a widely dispersed collection of artefacts in museum and private collections around the world. Due to ad hoc collection methods and the poorly recorded distribution of animal mummies, many artefacts have unknown or uncertain provenance. Researchers at the University of Manchester identified a group of eight mummies positively attributed to the 1913–1914 excavation season at Abydos, now held in the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Massachusetts. This paper presents the investigation of this discreet group of provenanced mummies through stylistic evaluation of the exterior, and the assessment of the contents and construction techniques employed using clinical radiography. Dating of one mummy places the artefact—and likely that of the whole assemblage—within the Late Period (c.664–332BC). Considering these data enables the mummies to be interpreted as the Egyptians intended; as votive artefacts produced within the sacred landscape at Abydos