Mummies

Each chapter of this book describes a different cultural myth about mummies, explains its origin and propagation, and provides the "real story."

As an archaeological bridge between the living and the dead, the figure of the mummy has long been an object of widespread cultural fascination. But what happens when this fascination gives birth to misconceptions that obscure the real facts? In Western history, many such myths have accompanied mummies for centuries, ranging from mistaken notions about the origins and techniques of mummification and the medicinal properties of mummy flesh to stories about cursed mummies, "mummy wheat," and the supposed use of Egyptian mummies as raw materials for industrial purposes.



This book illuminates fascinating factual backgrounds to all of the above, which are often more interesting than the myths themselves. Each chapter is devoted to a particular historical misconception about mummies and discusses how the myth developed and spread, along with what we now believe to be the truth behind the myth. Excerpts and quotations from primary source documents help readers to understand the misconceptions and provide evidence for what we now consider to be the underlying facts. With its engaging exploration of popular cultural myths that have fed the collective imagination, this book is a valuable resource for specialized studies and a source of enjoyable reading in its own right.






An introduction places myths about mummies in historical and cultural context



Each chapter discusses a particular historical misconception about mummies alongside what we now believe to the truth behind the myth



Excerpts from primary source documents help readers to understand how misconceptions about mummies developed and spread and provide evidence for the historical truths



A selected, general bibliography directs readers to additional sources of information