tour 1 of 12
Mummy: The Inside Story
Mummy: The Inside Story
Egyptian mummies are always popular with museum visitors. They
are also an unparalleled source of scientific data, shedding light
on physical anthropology, family relationships, life expectancy,
nutrition and health, disease and the causes of death. They provide
a unique insight into the complex process of mummification and life
in ancient Egypt.
For many years, the only way to extract data from Egyptian
mummies was to unwrap them - a destructive and irreversible
process. Then modern non-invasive imaging techniques - X-rays and
Computerised Tomography (CT) scanning - made it possible to look
inside a mummy without disturbing the wrappings in any way. Thanks
to the latest advances in computer technology, we are now able to
perform a 'virtual unwrapping' of a mummy and to embark on a 3D
journey within the body, visualising every feature and amulet.
The subject for this ground-breaking experiment is the priest
Nesperennub, one of the British Museum's treasured exhibits for
over a hundred years. His beautifully painted mummy-case has never
been opened since it was sealed up by embalmers in Thebes nearly
three thousand years ago. Now we can explore the body within, and
even see the face of this man from the distant past.
This tour accompanies the virtual reality film and exhibition
Mummy: The Inside Story, which is sponsored by
BP.