Egyptian death and afterlife: mummies (Rooms
62–3)
The Roxie Walker Galleries
About 2686 BC
– AD 395
Death and the afterlife held particular significance and meaning
for the ancient Egyptians. Complex funeral preparations and rites
were thought to be needed to ensure the transition of the
individual from earthly existence to immortality.
Mummification, magic and ritual are investigated through the
objects on display in Rooms 62–63. These include
coffins, mummies, funerary masks, portraits and other items
designed to be buried with the deceased. Modern research methods
such as x-rays and CT scans are used to examine the mummification
process.