Guanajuato is famous for the Museo de Momia, where 111 specimens now reside. Some like this former doctor, survived with most of his clothing intact. But I imagine the bulk of the mummy's clothes fell off in tatters when unearthed. Hair, beards, pubic hair, teeth, breasts, were all visible or easily imagined.
These are Nancy's photos and you can see more pictures if you go to Instagram and access her account of the visit, Naahcee is her handle.
The mummies were dug up intentionally, as there was no one willing to pay for eternal internment. Due to a cholera epidemic, space was needed in the local cemetery. It was not intentional that these corpses were mummified, but conditions; weather, soil, humidity and other factors, were perfect.
The bodies are displayed in cases, actually hermetically sealed, (I'm glad I finally got to use that word) and so there is no odor, but the lighting and postures of the mummies are certainly spooky. Three of the corpses died in unusual circumstances; a drowning, a stabbing where the blood stains are still visible, and a premature burial which is the scariest of all. I encourage you to learn more about these poor unfortunates on the internet. The Museum has the world's youngest mummy, and the mummy of a fetus.
1 comment:
Whoa! Very creepy. Incredible that they exist because I'm assuming there was no embalmment. (I've been wanting to use that word.)
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