Mummified, a new exhibit at the Walters Art Museum running through November, features ancient Egyptian artifacts depicting the process and result of mummification.
Ancient Egyptians performed an elaborate ceremony to prepare the dead for their journey into the afterlife. While some modern perspectives view their ideas about death as an obsession, the Egyptians considered it the beginning of a spiritual journey.
Mummification was only one aspect of Egyptian religious life, and the exhibit does well in displaying lesser known rituals like animal sacrifices. This exhibit will not magically transport you to an ancient, mystical land that helped birth civilization. For that, you'll have to pay upwards of $1,500 for a flight to Cairo. But the exhibit does reveal a great deal of knowledge about the ancient Egyptians' views of death.
A healthy appetite for Egyptian history would be needed to read through the entire exhibit. However, there are more than enough neat items to pique interest for the average museum-goer. The computer terminals near the entrance to the exhibit that summarize the history of mummification proved very helpful. In short, mummification originated in the desert around Egypt when people noticed the preservative properties of the sand on the dead. The first process may have been developed as early as 4000 B.C., and the first mummies were simply wrapped in cloth and buried in the sand. Highly advanced methods were developed over the centuries. Visceral organs were removed and placed in ceremonial containers called canopic jars for use in the afterlife (the brain was discarded). The linen became coated with plant resins and natural salts were used to dehydrate the body before embalming.
The main attraction showcases images of the Walters's mummy collected via the newly conceived use of CT scans. The centerpiece, a mummified young girl, is on display with coffin casing and numerous burial accessories. Additional scans were performed on other mummies in the exhibit, all of which were animals (it turns out some of those cool animal statues are not just statues). The reliquaries house the remains of once-honored animals that were associated with a particular deity, some showcasing impressive sculpting. These animals were worshiped throughout their lives and bred to be sacrificed. The scan images accompanying each mummy are quite fascinating, if a tad morbid when bones become visible upon closer inspection. Many objects that the Egyptians buried with their dead are displayed as well. A memorable piece was the shawabti figurine, which slightly resembles Russian nested dolls. These figures were meant to carry out the daily labors of the person in the afterlife, so the wealthier a person, the more figurines they had (up to 365).
Another theme of the exhibit concerns the popular culture and lore surrounding mummies. Mummies were believed to contain incredible medicinal power, particularly throughout the 17th century and even into the early 20th century. The display even contains a pharmacy advertisement for cases of mummy powder. A surge in interest during the 17th century by European collectors created a market for fake mummies. These fabrications became common and some were convincing enough to be considered authentic. Enough were produced that mummies even became a party theme, as shown by a flyer advertising an unraveling party.
The rooms housing the exhibit were lackluster. The only impressive décor was the entrance, a scaled-down gateway to a temple complete with hieroglyph-covered walls. The dark gray shade of the walls inspired sleep more than curiosity. The low lighting did not help matters when it came to reading the blurbs about each object. However, the displays were featured prominently with adequate lighting. One room featured mostly religious statues, a second featured daily tools and accessories and the third held the human mummy itself.
The first two rooms were a bit dull, though no one would have noticed because I was the only person (minus the guard) viewing the exhibit at the time. This is a shame, as the Walters currently features free general admission, is a block from the Peabody stop on the JHMI shuttle and is simply gorgeous. A word of advice: Enter via the Charles Street side. The main entrance does not contain anything notable and the hallways used to access the exhibits hardly befit the marvel of the museum proper.
Mummified may feel a bit creepy, a bit morbid or even a bit moldy (I kid), but these qualities pale in comparison to the humbling power of a millennia-old mummy. The impact cannot even be grasped by people in the moment, as we tend to just pass by and glance, thinking, "Wow, that's old." The girl was buried thousands of years ago, and her sarcophagus and burial accessories are still intact! Do you know what your iPhone will be in thousands of years? Or you, for that matter? Dust, and hopefully still terrestrial and not the cosmic kind. Taken in this light, the Walters's Mummified is truly a wonder to behold.
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