Susil

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News From Mississippi

Life & Events > Mummies of the World
 

Mummies of the World

In December my daughters loaded me and the wheelchair up in the car (with some difficulty) and we went to see the Mummies Of The World Exhibit at the Witte Museum in San Antonio. This venerable museum had a guard at the door to the exhibit. No cameras or other devices were allowed inside. You go in and the lighting was subdued and dim with focus light on the mummies.

There was doleful dirge music playing, suitable because this was akin to a funeral parlor. I agree that where the dead are, that quiet, and a respectful attitude are required, no matter how old the dead are.The first mummy was a shocker though. It was of a mummified dog (? !) found in a cave. There were the expected Egyptian mummies, though I was kinda surprised by how tattered they looked. All the mummies were in temperature and humidity controlled glass cases, but they looked in pitiable condition.

The most interesting mummies were from Peru. There was one that really was memorable to us, that of a Peruvian woman clutching an infant with a deformed head. Under her head was another infant. Had she borne deformed twins and been considered by her people to be a witch or something? Even in death, her face was sad and desolate. What was her story?

Then there were the mummies of a German Duke and Duchess, found in a crypt. The Duke wore a pair of boots, te upper part of the boots separating from the sole due to age. He was wearing a uniform, deteriorating from age. His wife had been buried in a fine gown, now turning to dust.My daughters and I remember going to New Orleans years ago to see the Kiong Tut exhibit, and agree this exhibit was disappointing and did not live up to the hype it received.
Nevertheless, it was interesting.bye for now, love to all, susil

posted on Jan 29, 2013 11:35 AM ()

Comments:

Now she tells me: a mummified penis. Is the exhibit over? Will it come to SW Florida? I never get to see anything anymore.
comment by tealstar on Feb 4, 2013 7:36 AM ()
This must have been an experience. I saw the King Tut exhibit, which was fascinating. I also was intrigued by a PBS NOVA program on an ancient human found frozen in a glacier, amazingly preserved. I tended to think that mummies were just part of the burial rite of ancient Egypt, which documented odd (religious?) customs of killing family members, servants, pet animals and mummifying them all to be "company" for the primary deceased person in the tomb. I was surprised that the burial custom of mummies existed in later years and in other regions of the world. Some of the ancient burial tombs in Egypt did include etchings and cave markings describing the person, but much was lost due to looting and damage from air exposure once the tombs were opened. Perhaps an inflated ego or a fear of burial made the idea of being a mummy sound appealing? One can't help but wonder whom they were in life.
comment by marta on Feb 3, 2013 8:26 AM ()
Hi marta; The King Tut show was exceptional--I had my nose on the glass case where his golden mask was, and could see the magnificent mask had I been applied over a wooden carving of his face.
I agree I would love to know the life stories behind the mummies.
reply by susil on Feb 3, 2013 12:04 PM ()
Hi sue, that kind of displays never interested me. sounds depressing to me.
It' sure good to see you back. I enjoy reading your post.
comment by larryb on Jan 29, 2013 5:53 PM ()
Hi larry; I went because my daughter wanted to go before the exhibit was closed--however, loading me in and out of a w/c tired us out!
reply by susil on Feb 3, 2013 12:12 PM ()
Still sounds interesting and very fascinating!
comment by panthurdreams on Jan 29, 2013 2:44 PM ()
Hi there! Hope y'all are well. We also made a tour of tour of their other exhibits and it was all interesting.
reply by susil on Feb 3, 2013 12:09 PM ()
This reminds me of a Las Vegas museum type show that was mummified (or otherwise preserved) bodies that were dissected to show the muscles and what was inside the skin. I think the bodies were from China. We never went to it - the posters didn't draw me in. Hope you are having a good day.
comment by troutbend on Jan 29, 2013 2:35 PM ()
Hi Laura; I wouldn't want to see the dissection show--I've seen autopsies and seen a lot of that anyway. Hope you are well!
reply by susil on Feb 3, 2013 12:16 PM ()
What an interesting trip ... But I wouldn't use dirge type music -- you can be respectful without depressing the visitors. And it is too sad that we can never know the stories.
comment by tealstar on Jan 29, 2013 1:49 PM ()
Hi teal; We heard some people laughing at one point--I surmise it was the one Egyptian mummy who had his penis mummified--I've never seen that before-- and it was a long one, even mummified!
reply by susil on Feb 3, 2013 12:22 PM ()

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