Get up close with mummies！ The British Museum’s Egyptian Collection Exhibition Comes to Town

By MOOK Scenic Spots Home / Reported and compiled by Chen Wenlin
 
Ancient Egypt, known as one of the four great ancient civilizations, has long been one of history’s most enigmatic and ancient nations. Among its many mysteries, mummies have remained a topic of enduring interest for millennia. Though the ancient Egyptians left behind copious written records, these only reveal part of their history—making the rest all the more intriguing.

This time, the British Museum has brought its Egyptian collection to Taiwan in the exhibition "Egyptian Mummies: Exploring Ancient Lives." It features how the British Museum used CT scanning technology to non-invasively study six mummies who lived between 900 BC and 180 AD, thereby exploring each mummy's gender, age, health conditions, and physical illnesses—unveiling life stories not recorded in text.

It is worth mentioning that from the Roman period onward, both the techniques and styles of mummification evolved, and great importance was placed on the appearance of mummies. Wooden panels depicting the deceased, known as “mummy portraits,” began to be placed over the wrappings. These mummies adorned with “portraits of the deceased” will also be fully displayed in this exhibition, offering a glimpse into the appearances of the Egyptians during their lifetimes.