Ancient Lives, New Discoveries

Fabulous exhibition at the British Museum looking at the lives of eight people who lived along the Nile from 3500 BC to 700 AD by examining a CT scan of their mummified bodies.

The scans were amazing and a good way of finding out what’s inside a mummy without unwrapping it and disturbing the remains and artefacts. One of the mummies had extensive amulets on their body and as the commentary said if you had unwrapped it these would have moved and you wouldn’t know exactly where they had been. However the scan showed them in situ including a lovely eagle on her throat. In the case next to the scan they display 3D printed version of the amulets; the first time I have seen 3D printing in an exhibition.

I found it most moving when you knew the name of the person eg Padiamenet, the temple door keeper, whose scan was shown upright so it appears as if he is standing in our space.

There were also some really touching artefacts such as a wooden toy horse and a wig dating from 1350 BC with a curled top and plaited bottom.

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