2012/10/19 by Kathleen L. Sheppard · 2 citations
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · #Ancient Egypt and Archaeology #Archaeology #Archaeology and Rock Art Studies #Argument (complex analysis) #Classics #Context (archaeology) #Epistemology #History #History of science #Law #Paleopathology and ancient diseases #Philosophy #Political science #Spectacle
paper · doi:10.1017/s0269889712000221
openalex publication_date 2012/10/19 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/23
Argument This article explores the history of mummy unwrappings in the West, culminating in Margaret Murray's public unrolling of two mummies in Manchester in 1908. Mummy unwrappings as a practice have shifted often between public spectacles which displayed and objectified exotic artifacts, and scientific investigations which sought to reveal medical and historical information about ancient life. Although others have looked at Murray's work in the context of the history of mummy studies, I argue that her work should be viewed culturally as poised between spectacle and science, drawing morbid public interest while also producing ground-breaking scientific work that continues to this day. Murray's main goal was to excite the interest of the public while at the same time educating them in the true history of ancient Egypt, while ascertaining new scientific information and contributing to the scholarly interpretations of ancient Egypt.