mummies: New Secrets Of The Tombs At The Natural History Museum
In the popular imagination, mummies are associated with the royalty of Egyptian dynasties, but a new exhibit from the Field Museum in Chicago at the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles reveals the widespread practice of mummification not only in pre-dynastic Egypt, but also in pre-Incan Peru, where the mummification rituals and techniques were markedly different. “Many cultures throughout world history practiced mummification,” said Richard Lariviere, President and CEO of the Field Museum, “but in Egyptian and Peruvian cultures, the practice was the oldest, most widespread and most ingenious.”
This astounding and enlightening exhibit features mummies that are on tour for the first time since they were acquired by the Field Museum in the late 1890s. It reveals the importance of mummification rituals in the two cultures, and contrasts the different cultural markers and the role of the individual in each society. Using CT scans and 3-D printed casts of bones and burial objects, as well as forensically reconstructed sculptural busts, Field researchers have reconstructed burial rituals, mummification techniques and even the lives of each individual in much greater detail than would have been possible in the past.
Exquisitely curated and displayed, this joint venture of the Natural History Museum of L.A. County and the Field Museum provides a rich journey into a previously unexplored past. It is a treat that must not be missed.
Explore Natural History At The Field Museum
The Field Museum is a revered Chicago institution and one of the worlds great museums of natural history. Their immersive exhibits explore everything from ancient cultures to the latest scientific discoveries, drawing from an astounding collection of more than 24 million objects. Explore an ancient Egyptian tomb, meet the planets largest creature, get eye-level with insects, discover ancient civilizations, and more.
Here are just a few things to know before you visit the Field Museum.
Mummies Traveling Exhibit Returns To The Field Museum By Sm Oconnor
The traveling exhibit Mummies re-opened at The Field Museum of Natural History on Friday, March 16, 2018 and will remain open through Sunday, April 21, 2019. Entry requires either a Discovery pass or an All-Access pass. Discover Card and United Airlines are the major sponsors.
Mummies, The Field Museum stated, uses modern technologies to take an unparalleled look at the remains of the ancient people within the wrappings. With the help of CT scanners and 3D imaging, scientists can explore what these peoples lives may have been like and even what they looked like when they were alive. Visitors will be able to examine Egyptian mummies as never before, in addition to those from other places and cultures like South America.
The exhibit compliments two permanent exhibits: Inside Ancient Egyptand the Robert R. McCormick Halls of the Ancient Americas. One of the unique things about this exhibition is the inclusion of the Peruvian mummification traditions, which started much earlier than in Egypt and lasted until the Spanish conquest 500 years ago, stated Curator Ryan Williams. That seven thousand year history of Andean mummification is something most people have never heard previously.
Mummies examines the lifestyles and even the physical appearances of mummies in the exhibit, conveying that these mummies are human remains. These mummified people had much in common with people today.
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A First Look At The New ‘mummies’ At The Field Museum
There are many things the new “Mummies” exhibition at the Field Museum provides in addition to an opportunity to stroll among the ancient, unburied dead.
It lets you peer inside the cloth wraps, and even inside the bodies inside the wraps, thanks to the CT scan technology at the core of an exhibit that manages to feel both reverential and cutting-edge. This exploratory technique is so much more archaeology-friendly, so much less destructive, than the old method of simply unwrapping mummies.
To prove the point, the exhibition displays a mummified man from about 650 B.C., who was peeled open a century ago for science and there’s no delicate way to put this whose head came off. Nearby is a tableau that could have spared that fellow the indignity, a mummy model poised on the edge of a GE-branded CT scanner, ancient Egypt meeting modern medicine, referral not required.
The show, opening Friday, is part of a long tradition of mummy love at the Field, which did blockbuster numbers with a King Tut show in 1977 and a Tutankhamun reprise in 2006.
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“You can relate to it, just in a bodily way,” said Janet Hong, the museum’s project manager for exhibitions. “It’s sort of a natural curiosity to want to know what’s inside.”
Also drawing people to mummies, Brown said, is “just the quality of the workmanship. And it speaks to the value of someone’s life and also to the importance of honoring the dead.”
Tutmania At The Field Museum
They waited in long lines to enter the dimly lit corridors lined with ancient Egyptian artifacts. They emerged into a larger room holding the gold sarcophagus of the ruler who had died at age 19, King Tut. They exited through the gift shop, leaving the museum with scarves, tote bags, prints, and books emblazoned with his image. And if they had a little extra cash, they walked home with expensive replicas of what theyd just seen. It was Tutmania at the Field Museum in 1977 as The Treasures of King Tutankhamun came through town, breaking attendance records and adding millions of dollars to the citys tourist trade. Nearly 1.3 million visitors attended during the four-month stop of the exhibit. It was on a six-city U.S. tour, the first time anything from the tomb discovered by Howard Carter in 1922 had come to America, and the whole thing had a rock star quality to it.
Tutankhamuns legacy long surpassed his brief reign. Carter’s discovery sparked such horror films as The Mummy and a wave of architectural imitation, most notably in Egyptian motifs found in glazed tile on art deco storage buildings built in the 1920s and early 1930s. The blockbuster exhibit revitalized the curiosity for all things ancient Egyptian. In 1978, comedian Steve Martin’s novelty hit King Tut was first performed on Saturday Night Live, and went gold.
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When Will Egyptian And Peruvian Mummies Return Home
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An Egyptian coffin lid in the exhibition Mummies at the Field Museum
In March, the Field Museum opened a new exhibition titled Mummies, showcasing examples from its own collection of mummies from Egypt and Peru. It started its life in 2015 as a touring exhibition under the name Mummies: New Secrets from the Tombs, returning from its last stop at the American Museum of Natural History after three years on the road. The exhibition is arriving back home after traveling across the country, just in time for the Museums 125th anniversary, the exhibition press release proudly announces.
Other aspects of the exhibition may be more typical, though these too are generally executed well. At one point we see a recreation of a 26th Dynasty Egyptian tomb , to provide a context for the placement of mummies at another, we see an Egyptian coffin with its lid removed, allowing us to observe details of construction as well as drawings on the inside. All the while, mood music meant to inspire awe and wonder plays, though perhaps its also a little creepy.
An Egyptian coffin with the lid removed in the exhibition Mummies at the Field Museum
A 3D printed replica of a canopic jar
But as an archaeologist and a museumgoer, there were a couple of topics where I was left wishing for more information.
The Field Museums label for an Egyptian mummy
Here Are The Top Ten To See At The Field Museum
#1 Sue the T. RexThe largest, most complete, and best preserved Tyrannosaurus Rex fossil ever discovered is permanently on display for intrepid adventurers to see. Youll also want to view the other fossils in Dinosaur Hall. Grab a copy of Steve Fiffers book Tyrannosaurus Sue to get the inside scoop on the discovery of this monstrous fossil and the larger-than-life dinosaur hunters that define this field.
#2 Inside Ancient EgyptThe Field Museum has one of the largest collections of mummies in the United States. Visitors can explore a three-story mastaba, a type of Egyptian tomb. It features two full rooms from an authentic 5,000-year-old tomb of pharaohs son Unis-Ankh.
#3 Underground AdventureMuseum-goers magically shrink to 1/100th of a persons actual size to get a bugs eye view of critters on this planet. Explore giant worm tunnels and soil chambers in this interactive and educational exhibit.
#4 Grainger Hall of GemsRare jewels and precious gold objects from all parts of the globe are on display for visitors to inspect. You wont believe your eyes!
#5 Evolving PlanetThis awe-inspiring show takes visitors through 4 billion years of the Earths ever-evolving forms of life. From single organisms to overwhelming dinosaur finds, this hands-on exploration of living history will appeal to visitors of all ages.
#9 Genghis KhanLearn all about this legendary ruler and the astounding treasures he amassed in his conquest to rule the world in this special exhibit.
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Why Is King Tut So Famous
Why is Tutankhamun so famous? The reason that Tutankhamun is so well known today is that his tomb, containing fabulous treasures, was found early this century by British archaeologists Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon. Davis had found a cup and other fragments bearing the name of Tutankhamen and his queen.
How Long Does Field Museum Take
If you are visiting with kids, you will need at least 4 to 5 hours to explore the Chicago Field Museum to your satisfaction.
If you are in a hurry, you can stick to the highlights and be done with your tour in 90 minutes.
Tip: If you plan to extend your stay at the Museum, visiting the restaurant in between helps recharge your energies.
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Best Time To Visit The Field Museum
It is best to visit Field Museum in Chicago is as soon as they open at 9 am.
When you start early, you avoid the crowd and catch the museum staff conducting free guided tours when they are most energetic.
Since the Ancient Egypt exhibit gets the maximum crowd, it is better to explore it as soon as you enter the Museum.
If you are not a local, try avoiding the free days as the Museum is exceptionally crowded.
Whats A Machine Thats Built To Survive Move And Discover
All living thingsincluding you!contain remarkable feats of engineering.
Investigate natures mechanical marvels in The Machine Inside: Biomechanics. Youll uncover surprising strengths and hidden talents: jaws that can crush over 8,000 pounds in one bite, ears that act as air conditioners, and a spring-like body that sprints at 80 miles per hour.
All ages can try out interactive experiences that show how mechanics like wings and fins, pumps and pipes, and claws and jaws work in nature.
The exhibition is presented in both English and Spanish. La exhibición está presentada en inglés y español.
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The mummy portrait being analyzed is thought to have been on display in the 1893 Worlds Fair and later added to the Field Museums collections.
Researchers Giovanni Verri of the Art Institute of Chicago and Marc Sebastian Walton of Northwestern University have been analyzing Roman Egyptian mummy portraits at museums around the world and learning about the artistic techniques used in these portraits.
They are working with the Chief Conservator of the Field Museum, Stephanie Hornbeck, as they investigate the museum’s portrait, officials said.
They will photograph the portrait with a special camera that can capture light in the ultraviolet and infrared ranges, which is beyond what the human eye can see.
The way that the paint reflects, absorbs and emits radiation at different wavelengths will help researchers understand how the artistic techniques were applied, they explained.
These types of investigations can reveal ancient trade routes for painting materials and manufacturing techniques taught in ancient workshops, the Field Museum said.
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Cyrus Tang Hall Of China
A pair of stone lions welcome you to the collection, which narrates the story of China.
Learn about the political history of China and watch a shadow puppet performance of the epic journey to the west.
Do not miss out on the animated map of dynastic Chinas shifting borders, the Qingming scroll, and the cargo recovered from a Chinese ship that sank in the Java Sea during the 12th or 13th century.
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Griffin Halls Of Evolving Planets
In Griffin Halls, you get to know about each organismthat has ever walked on Earth.
See a variety of fossils, animated videos, etc., to learn about evolution from scratch.
Experience the educational journey from asingle-celled organism to humans.
In this section, you will see the fossil skeleton ofTyrannosaurus rex called Sue, Megatherium, a giant ground sloth, the TullyMonster, and Lucy, a 3.2-million-year-old hominid.
Griffin Halls Of Evolving Planet
Uncover the creatures of history in the Griffin Halls of Evolving Planet exhibit. From single-celled organisms to our distant human family, this exhibit provides a glance into life billions of years ago. You can check out the Tully Monster, which was found here in Illinois and is the official state fossil. The Griffin Halls of Evolving Planet exhibit is also home to SUE, a 40-foot-long and 90-percent-complete Tyrannosaurus rex.
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Aug 201821 Apr 2019 At The Field Museum In Chicago United States
In Mummies, uncover the lives of the people insidefrom their families, work, and religious beliefs, to the objects they chose to bring into the afterlife.
This extraordinary, limited-time exhibition features mummies from ancient Peru and Egypt. Made up entirely of objects from our collection, the exhibition includes 14 mummies, intricately decorated coffins and mummy masks, ceramic items, and mummified animals. Seeing ancient Peruvian and Egyptian mummies in the same space brings to light the differences and similarities between these cultures.
Using non-invasive CT scanning and other cutting-edge technologies, our scientists can digitally peer through layers dating back thousands of years to reveal the human lives behind the gilded coffins and once-mysterious bundles. Explore their discoveries firsthand through interactive touch tables. These mummies paint a rich picture of people from a different timeand the cultures that lived on after their deaths.
When the mummies in this exhibition entered our collection 100 years ago, researchers could only guess at what was inside themor risk damaging the contents by unwrapping or cutting into them.
Today, CT scanning and other non-invasive technologies allow us to study mummies with respect for the individuals and their cultures. Intricate CT scan images can tell us much more about the lives of the people now preserved as mummies.
About The Field Museum
The Field Museum first opened in 1894, displaying a collection of artifacts originally assembled for the 1983 Worlds Fair in Chicago. Today, the exhibits explore more than 4.6 billion years of natural history, from ancient Egypt to Qing Dynasty China to the prehistoric era and beyond. When you enter the museum, youll be greeted by one of its most famous residents Máximo the Titanosaur, the largest dinosaur to ever walk the earth. And dont miss SUE, the most complete T.rex ever discovered, in the second floor Evolving Planet gallery.
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Virtually Unwrap A Mummy
The interactive experience allow visitors to explore inside the wrappings of mummified human and animal remains. By featuring data garnered from CT scans via a touch screen interface, visitors can interact with selected mummies in a variety of ways: They can remove layers of ornament and wrapping, examine details of the mummification process, and section mummies to examine their skeletons and see internal elements, such as organ preservation.
Having been 3D CT scanned, the intricate details within the wrappings are revealed, and visitors to the exhibition are able to virtually unwrap the mummy and see the contents of the coffins using the interactive touch screens on the Inside Explorer table. Users can cut and see through layers of the CT images, manipulate the mummy to rotate it and zoom in and out for more detail.
Is Tutankhamun Exhibition Cancelled
Sydneys blockbuster King Tutankhamun exhibition has been cancelled. The Australian Museum is saddened that the Tutankhamun exhibition has been cancelled, director and CEO Kim McKay said in a statement. However, we are already negotiating for a new touring Egyptian exhibition and hope to announce details soon.Mar 18, 2021
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The Best Exhibits To See At The Field Museum Right Now
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Travel the world and explore the latest scientific discoveries right here in Chicago at the Field Museum. From permanent exhibits to temporary installations, this interactive museum always has something new in store for curious visitors. Keep reading below to get a snapshot of the best exhibits currently going on at the Field Museum.
Grainger Hall Of Gems
This hall has been a visitor favorite since it wasinaugurated.
The collection includes 600 gemstones and 150 piecesof antique and contemporary jewelry from all over the World.
From 3,400 years old Egyptian garnet necklace to modern-day designs, this exhibition is the gem of Field Museum, Chicago.
Do not miss out on Tiffany & Co.s stunning Sun God Opal, the Chinese jade ornament carved 600 years ago, and the 97.45-carat imperial topaz, the largest topaz on display.
Spread over various floors and halls, the Field Museum in Chicago can overwhelm most visitors.
A handy map helps get the maximum out of your visit.
Besides the exhibits, the map will also help you find visitor services such as restrooms, restaurants, souvenir stores, etc.
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