Image Gallery
Fake Mummy from Saqqara
Mummies were among the most sought-after souvenirs collected by travelers to Egypt in the 17th-19th centuries. To supplement the supply of genuine bodies, fake mummies were produced as early as the 18th century. This example purports to the mummy of a child. Forged mummies were made from debris from ancient tombs. They contain fragments of bodies and wrappings, adorned with authentic cartonnage and enclosed in boxes made from pieces of wooden coffins. From Saqqara, Egypt, 18th century CE.
The British Museum, London.
Bibliography
- Arrazia, B. et al. The Chinchorro Culture: A Comparative Perspective.The archaeology of the earliest human mummification, accessed 14 Jun 2024.
Questions & Answers
Where can you find mummies?
- Mummification was (and in some places and certain cases still is) practiced in many parts of the world. The intentional preservation of the body is best known from the ancient Egyptian culture, but mummies have been found all over the world.
How old is the oldest mummy ever found?
- The oldest intentionally preserved mummies come from the Chichorro culture, which flourished from c. 9000 to c. 3500 years ago in modern-day Chile. The complex mortuary practices of this culture that produced the first intentionally preserved mummies date back to c. 7000-7500 years ago.
