QUESTION
Why don’t mummies take vacations?
💀🦴
Beyond King Tut (whose death is still speculated about), mummies are a part of a number of cultures. And some of them come with some pretty creepy stories.
The "Screaming Woman" Mummy
This mummy's contorted expression, which looks like a scream, was initially attributed to a painful death, possibly due to poison. However, a study suggests it might be caused by a "cadaveric spasm," a type of rigor mortis that occurs immediately after death, causing muscles to stiffen.
The Salt Men of Iran
Miners discovered several mummified bodies in Iran's Chehrabad Salt Mine, preserved by the dry, salty conditions. These "salt men" include a man with a long white beard, iron knives, and a gold earring, providing insights into ancient life and death rituals in the region.
Gallagh Man
Found in an Irish bog, this Iron Age mummy was buried in a cape and with a piece of willow wood around his neck, potentially used for strangulation. The mummy was reburied and exhumed multiple times by locals, highlighting the unusual fascination and treatment of this bog body.
Hatshepsut
A powerful female pharaoh, Hatshepsut's legacy was nearly erased from history after her death due to political rivalry and gender discrimination. However, her mummy, discovered in the Valley of the Kings, confirms her existence and provides evidence of her reign and building projects.
Animal Mummies
The ancient Egyptians mummified a wide range of animals, including pets, food items, and sacred beasts. Monkeys were posed on their haunches, cats curled their tails, and snakes were coiled to strike, showcasing the skill of the embalmers.
Ötzi the Iceman
Discovered in the Alps in 1991, Ötzi the Iceman initially believed to be a modern mountaineer due to his excellent preservation, studies later revealed he lived 5,300 years ago. This natural mummy, preserved by glacial ice, offers a remarkable glimpse into Copper Age life, including his violent death from an arrow wound and head injury, according to Live Science. Researchers also discovered his genes indicate he was a native of Central Europe.
Tollund Man
Found in a Danish bog in 1940, Tollund Man is an Iron Age mummy with a peaceful, sleeping appearance. However, the presence of a rope still tied around his neck suggests he may have been a victim of ritual sacrifice, according to Live Science. His last meal, barley porridge and fish, was still identifiable.
The Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo
These catacombs in Sicily contain hundreds of mummified bodies, including many children. One of the most famous is Rosalia Lombardo, a two-year-old girl who died in 1920. Her body is so exceptionally well-preserved that she appears to be sleeping, leading to her nickname "Sleeping Beauty", according to Ancient Origins. The secret to her preservation was eventually revealed through the discovery of her embalmer's memoir detailing the chemical cocktail used.
Qilakitsoq Mummies
In Greenland, the Qilakitsoq site yielded the remarkably preserved remains of six women and two children, naturally mummified by the freezing temperatures and dry winds. This group of mummies dates back to around 1475 A.D.. One of the children, a six-month-old baby, is believed to have been buried alive alongside his already deceased mother, a practice sometimes associated with the time's Inuit customs.
The Siberian Ice Maiden
Also known as the Ukok Princess, this mummy of a woman from the Pazyryk culture of Siberia was discovered in 1993, preserved in permafrost. She was buried in a lavish coffin alongside six sacrificial horses. Her elaborate tattoos and clothing, including a silk blouse potentially from India, suggest a high status and long-distance trade routes for her culture, according to Live Science.
Chinchorro Mummies
These Chilean mummies predate Egyptian mummification by 2,000 years, making them among the world's oldest artificial mummies. The Chinchorro people meticulously prepared the bodies by removing organs and muscles, replacing them with reeds and clay, and then reattaching the skin, painted black or red. They mummified everyone, including stillborn children, showing a profound respect for all members of their society, notes Live Science. However, rising humidity in the normally dry Atacama Desert is causing these mummies to deteriorate rapidly into black slime, according to FactRetriever.
Mummies are meant to do nothing more than lie motionless ... Even so, IMDB can give you 25 ranked motion pictures all about mummies causing mischief.
