....Another Mummy Post

On Monday December 8^th the Chicago Field Museum lifted the lid of an Egyptian mummy coffin that has been sealed for around 2,500 years. The remains are of a 14 year old boy who was the son of a priest and from a marking found on the linin wrapping his body he would have been a priest like his father when he became old enough. To properly lift the lid the Chicago Field Museum’s conservator and three scientists used special clamps to raise the lid. They had to be very careful because the lid is very fragile. They had to wear blue surgical gloves and walk the lid to a safe location. I am sure they thought out a game plan for how they wanted to go about moving the lid, which is an important step when working with and moving objects especially larger objects.

                

The reason for opening the coffin was not just for curiosity’s sake, but the boy mummy is to travel to the upcoming exhibit “Mummies Images of the Afterlife” at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County then to Denver. So the museum wanted to see if the mummy needed any repairs or special attention for his journey. X-ray scans showed that his feet were detached and partially unwrapped and his shroud and mask were twisted and torn. Working with mummies takes a lot of pre-planning and testing to prevent further damage and unexpected changes. J.P. Brown works in a lab at the museum located behind a large window so school children and visitors can watch him work. I think this is a great idea because it provides a behind the scenes glance at museum work and conservation. There has been a height in mummy exhibits this year and for the coming year, so this is very exciting news! It is also good to hear that the boy mummy is being properly cared for. 

http://news.yahoo.com/chicago-scientists-open-egyptian-mummy-coffin-061832763.html