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 Keku's magnificently adorned mummy and inscribed coffins are the centrepiece of the exhibition.
Image courtesy of the National Museum of Antiquities, Leiden.
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Bits & pieces |
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The word 'mummy' refers to the dead body of a person or an animal that has not decayed, and is derived from the Persian/Arabic word mummiya, meaning 'tar' or 'bitumen' |
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The best and most complicated mummification technique was practised from the New Kingdom to the start of the Late Period, about 3 555 years ago |
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Ancient Egyptians generally built their houses on the east bank of the Nile and their tombs and cemeteries on the west. The west was considered the land of the dead, where the Sun God ended his daily voyage across the sky. As the sun set on the horizon, the Sun God 'died' and entered the underworld. The next morning, as the sun came up in the east, he was reborn into the land of the living |
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The most common cosmetic item used by ancient Egyptians was kohl, a type of eyeliner. As well as improving their appearance, kohl evidently protected a person's eyes from infections and glare from the sun. Some sportspeople apply the same methodology today. |
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No free entry for the afterlife |
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| Ancient Egyptians believed that after death their spiritual body would continue to exist in an afterlife very similar to their living world. Entry, however, was by no means guaranteed. |
The Egyptians believed that once dead you had to negotiate a dangerous underworld journey and face final judgement before being granted access to the afterlife.
Egyptians held that the life force of someone's spirit would continue to exist after death. For this life force's (they called it 'ka') survival, bodies required mummification.
A Melbourne Museum exhibition - Mummies: Ancient Egypt and the Afterlife - gives insight into these complicated death rituals. Highlighting the journey of Keku, a daughter of a wealthy family, the exhibition is narrated by Keku's father.
At the centre of the exhibition are the magnificently adorned mummy and its inscribed coffins. Other highlights include mummified human heads, a mummified human hand and foot and six different sarcophagi.
The Egyptians were as fond of their pets as Aussies are today - seven mummified animals also feature in the exhibition. Rich Egyptians like Keku could have their dead pets mummified, to await placement in their tomb as a companion for the afterlife.
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Mummy of a woman named Keku with shroud, braces and bead net. Late Period, 26th Dynasty (664-525 BC).
Image courtesy of the National Museum of Antiquities, Leiden.
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Almost every kind of animal that lived in ancient Egypt has been found as a mummy - from bulls, birds, snakes and crocodiles to fish, cats and scarab beetles.
The exhibition also demonstrates how modern technology sheds light on mummies, with the use of X-rays, CT (Computerised Tomography) scans and DNA.
CT scans of mummies show that the heart was usually left inside the body and the brain, which was considered to be unimportant and of little value, was usually removed, by being pulled out through the nose! Keku's heart is still present although her brain was left untouched, suggesting that although she had an expensive mummification technique, it was probably not the best available, or the embalmers took shortcuts.
X-rays helped determine her age as being approximately 21-23 and confirmed she was female. Her cause of death is unknown, but the most likely guess is disease.
Mummies: Ancient Egypt and the Afterlife is on display until 2 October 2005. For further information call 13 11 02 or visit www.museum.vic.gov.au
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