A thrilling experience: Examination of Egyptian Mummy Tutu, Albert Hall Museum, Jaipur
During my internship at Albert Hall Museum, Jaipur
in 2018 I got an opportunity to assist Mummy Specialist Rania Ahmad who had
come from Egypt to examine the Egyptian Mummy Tutu displayed in the Egyptian
Gallery of Albert Hall. It was a thrilling experience as I got to be so close
to the Egyptian Mummy. For the first time in my life I had seen the Egyptian Mummy
without any box covering it. . I felt so elated and excited to witness the
examination process and assist Rania Ahmad in taking measurements of the Mummy.
Details
of the Mummy:
·
Egyptian Mummy of Tutu, priestess of God
Chem of Ptolemaic epoch
·
Found at Akhmin, Ancient Panopolis
·
2340 years old
·
Brought to Jaipur 131 years ago in 1887 by
Sawai Ishwar Singh from Cairo, and since 1890 it is kept at Albert Hall Museum
Examination Process:
Ø Took
it out from the glass case with the help of 3-4 people
Ø Placed
it on the table
Ø Removed
the covers/crust one by one and took each cover’s photograph from both obverse
and reverse side
Ø Removed
the dust away with the help of a fine brush
Ø Then
put the covers/crust back
Ø Took
the measurements of the mummy (L & H of the mummy, L & H of the
shoulder, L & H of the pelvis, L & H of the feet)
The experts said that the mummy was fit and well-preserved.
Rania Ahmad suggested certain changes which were duly noted and were
implemented.
The last conservation work of mummy was done in 2011
where it was shifted from the ground floor to the basement. This was done in
order to ensure proper atmosphere needed for the mummy. During the conservation
work, a team of 3 experts on mummy had come wherein it was conserved and the
video of the mummy and its x-ray was taken.
I felt like running out when I met this lady locked in her dark closet...!!!
ReplyDeleteI shivered. One other moment and the box is going to bang open, and a crippled and bandaged skeleton would creep out with a chalice in hand asking to join me in....eeeeoouuu
Weren't you scared??????