The exhibition CaixaForum Madrid in collaboration with the British Museum shows six bodies from ancient Egypt and their sarcophagi. The collection goes to Barcelona, Seville, Valencia and Zaragoza
Six people who lived along the Nile River in ancient Egypt have come back to life in the new exhibition at the CaixaForum in Madrid, which will be on display until October 26. An official, two priests, a woman, a child and a young man who were mummified thousands of years ago are discovered under their bandages without having to unpack. Using tomography and three-dimensional printing, the bodies and elements preserved beneath the dozens of layers of textiles have been reconstructed.
The mummy collection is part of the inventory of the British Museum. Six of the 120 archaeological treasures were chosen because they are considered more interesting and diverse. This scientific experience joins the culture to be an approximation of the life of the citizens of the ancient civilization. The goal is to get back the “romantic” idea, to get away from the terror that is usually the general perspective to know their everyday stories.
The wrapped corpses have been placed next to their sarcophagi. In addition, in the rooms you can see more than 200 items found in the coffins. Their portraits are illustrated on the coffins of the child and the woman. In the case of the minor, there is a more realistic image, almost a photo of his face. In that of Takhenemet (the «lady of the house»), a figure can be seen holding a musical instrument known as a sistrum. The curators Marie Vandenbeusch and Daniel Antoine explain that it is the way she wanted to be remembered in life and presented to the gods during her death.
In their attempt to keep the corpse intact, they used many yards of bandages. But science has revealed through digital representations that the fragile remains have not lasted as desired. With videos and animations, the scanner of each shows the state of the bones, the position of the body and how they have preserved the organs.
In ancient Egypt, it was believed that salvation was necessary for the person to continue living in the afterlife. Therefore, packaging was a process that only the elite population had access to. The ultimate goal was to follow the path of Osiris, the god of the afterlife and the first to be mummified.
Coming to Spain for the first time, the exhibition begins with Ameniryirt (600 BC), a high-ranking official from Thebes. The man was in his forties when he died, suffering from soft tissue cancer. This is one of the examples of the existence of diseases for many years. Just with him begins one of the sections of the exhibition dealing with human pathologies: dental diseases, arteriosclerosis and tumors.
The priest Nesperennub (800 BC) knows the amulets with which the deceased were buried. The tomography shows the “magic” objects that protected their owner. The figures of gods, usually represented in the form of animals, have been reconstructed with 3D printing.
The only woman in this exhibition is Takhenemet, (700 BC). She was buried like a matrioshka: in three sarcophagi, one inside the other. The curious element is the hair. The corpse, which according to the inscriptions on her grave belongs to a married lady, has her haircut in a bun.
Most interesting is the small sarcophagus that contains the body of a child not older than four years (AD 40-55). He was buried along with two other minors and two women, but the possibility of them forming a family has been ruled out. Striking is the wooden horse with which he was sent to the afterlife. “This reminds us of the humanity behind the mummies,” the curator recalls.
The closure is in charge of a young Greco-Roman who was 17 or 18 years old when he died. He is covered with a gold-colored mask to impress the gods, who were believed to have golden skin. The mysterious teen was the victim of a possible usurpation. The digital images show that there is a major disorder in the contents of his chest and abdominal cavities. Perhaps after being mummified, someone agreed to steal the very valuable amulets.
The mummies travel to the CaixaForum in Barcelona, Seville, Valencia and Zaragoza to further rediscover their afterlife.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
