Special Exhibition
Mummies of Ancient Egypt
Rediscovering Six Lives

14 October 2021 – 12 January 2022
National Museum of Nature and Science

 

The National Museum of Science and Technology, located at Ueno Park, Tokyo, is hosting a special show on Ancient Egypt, featuring six mummies and artefacts on loan from the British Museum.

The show is the Tokyo edition of an international touring exhibition of the British Museum – to present the latest scientific discoveries on mummies using advanced three-dimensional CT-scanning technology and to offer anthropological insights into life and death in the Nile valley.

A well-curated and presented show, also great for families.

Note that only minimal English translation is provided.

After Tokyo, it will travel to Kobe.

Installation view

Installation view

Installation view

* All photographs appearing in this article are installation views, taken with special permission at the media preview of the show.

Highlights of “Mummies of Ancient Egypt”

For the Japanese tour, six mummies of individuals who lived along the Nile from 800 B.C.E. through 100 C.E. are on view, along with approximately 250 objects from Ancient Egypt.

To this is added a special content presenting some latest findings on the burial ground in Saqqara surveyed by a joint team of Egyptian and Japanese archaeologists. In Tokyo,

Six mummies and sub-themes

◆Ameniryirt, an official from Thebes

Late Period – 26th Dynasty, c.600 B.C.E.

展示風景
アメンイリイレトのミイラと内棺
Installation view
Ameniryirt’s mummy and Inner Coffin

展示風景
アメンイリイレトのミイラとミイラのCTスキャン画像から作成した3次元構築画像
Installation view: Mummy of Ameniryirt and its image created by three-dimensional CT-scanning

Ameniryirt, a male who died at an estimated age between 35 and 49, was an official who controlled the territory of Amenirdis, the daughter of Pharaoh Kashta (c. 760-747 B.C.E.).

 
*The section features mummification and funerary practice in Ancient Egypt.

展示風景
胸飾り（ペクトラル）
Installation view
Pectoral

展示風景
ネフェルアアブのステラ
Installation view
Stela of Neferabu

展示風景
ネスアアルウドのカノポス箱
Installation view
Canopic box of Nesaarud

展示風景
ジェドバステトイウエフアンクのカノポス壺
Installation view
Canopic jars of Djedbastetiusfankh

◆Nesperennub, a priest from Thebes

Third Intermediate Period – 22nd Dynasty, c.800 B.C.E.

展示風景
ネスペルエンネブウのミイラ
Installation view
Mummy of Nesperennub

Nesperennub, a male who died at an estimated age between 35 and 49, was a priest of the Karnak Temple Complex, the most important religious institution in Thebes.

 

*The section sheds light on religious beliefs and important deities.

展示風景
「心臓スカラベ」
Installation view
Heart scarab

展示風景
腹部の切開部の保護板
Installation view
Plate to cover abdominal incision

展示風景
イシス女神、ホルス神、ネフティス女神の３神像の護符
Installation view
Triad of Isis, Horus and Nephthys

展示風景
ホルス神に授乳するイシス女神像
Installation view
Figure of Isis suckling Horus

展示風景
トト神とホルス神による浄化の場面のレリーフ
Installation view
Purification scene performed by Thoth and Horus

展示風景
アメン・ラー神、ムウト神、コンス神を現したステラ
Installation view
Stela showing Amun-Ra, Mut and Khonsu

◆Penamunnebnesuttawy, a northern priest

Third Intermediate Period – 25th Dynasty, c.700 B.C.E.

展示風景
ペンアメンネブネスウトタウイのミイラと内棺（蓋）
Installation view
Penamunnebnesuttawy’s mummy and its inner coffin (lid)

Penamunnebnesuttawy, said to have lived in Lower Egypt (Northern Egypt), died at an estimated age between 35 and 49. He was a priest at a temple dedicated to Bastet and other deities.

*The section explores the priests’ life through religious objects, food and drinks.

展示風景
猫とその子猫の形の護符
Installation view
Amulet in the shape of a cat with her kitten

展示風景
ケフのステラ
Installation view
Stela of Qeh

展示風景
ホルのシトゥラ
Installation view
Situla of Hor

展示風景
彩色されたビール製造の木製模型
Installation view
Painted wooden model: Preparing beer

展示風景
神々のための食べ物が描かれた神殿の壁画レリーフ
Installation view
Food for the gods: Relief from a temple wall

◆Takhenemet, a married woman from Thebes

Third Intermediate Period – 25th Dynasty, c.700 B.C.E.

展示風景
タケネメトの外棺（蓋）
Installation view
Lid of the outer coffin of Takhenemet

展示風景
タケネメトの内棺（蓋）
Installation view
Inner coffin (lid) of Takhenemet

Takhenemet died at an estimated age between 35 and 49. She was a married woman who lived around 700 B.C.E.

 

*Aesthetics is highlighted with fashion objects, ornaments and musical instruments in this section.

展示風景
拍子木
Installation view
Pair of clappers

展示風景
ハープ奏者を表したレリーフ
Installation view
Relief showing a harp player

展示風景
襟飾り
Installation view
Broad collar

展示風景
ケムシト王妃を表したレリーフ
Installation view
Relief showing the royal favourite Kemsit

展示風景
首飾り
Installation view
Necklace

展示風景
ニムロト王子の腕輪
Installation view
Bracelets of Nimlot

展示風景
メスのステラ
Installation view
Stela of Mes

◆A young child from Hawara

Roman Period, c. 40-55 C.E.

展示風景
子どものミイラとCTスキャン画像から作成した3次元構築画像」
Installation view
Mummy of a child and its image created by three-dimensional CT-scanning

This boy died at an estimated age 3 to 5.

Children’s bodies were rarely mummified in Ancient Egypt, but the practice seems to have increased during the Greco-Roman period (332 B.C.E. – 395 C.E.). Many examples have been discovered at the archaeological site of Hawara in northern Egypt.

*The section illustrates aspects of the family and children.

展示風景
イチュウとヘヌウトウェレト、その息子の像
Installation view
Group statue of Itu and henutweret with their son

展示風景
女性と子どもが彫刻されたレリーフ
Installation view
Relief carving of a woman and a child

展示風景
メリセクメトという子どもの葬祭用ステラ
Installation view
Funerary stela of the child Merysekhmet

展示風景
メリセクメトという子どもの葬祭用ステラ
Installation view
Funerary stela of the child Merysekhmet

展示風景
ベス神の形をした杖の先端部
Installation view
Staff terminal in the shape of Bes

展示風景
魚形護符
Installation view
Fish amulets

展示風景
書記による練習が記されたオストラコン
Installation view
Ostracon with a scribe exercise

展示風景
ヤシの葉の球と装飾された球
Installation view
Palm leaf ball and
Decorated ball

◆A young man from Greco-Roman Egypt

Late Ptolemaic dynasty – Early Roman period, c. 100 B.C.E. – 100 C.E.

展示風景
若い男性のミイラ
Installation view
Mummy of a young man

This young man, who died at an estimated age of 17 to 18, probably lived in the Greek (Ptolemaic) period or in the early Roman period.

*The section looks into the transformation of mummification and Greco-Roman influences.

展示風景
女性のミイラマスク
Installation view
Mask of a woman

展示風景
若い男性のミイラマスク
Installation view
Mask of a young man

展示風景
ディダスの娘、アフロディーテという名の女性のカルトナージュのミイラマスク
Installation view
Cartonnage mask of a woman named Aphrodite, Daughter of Didas

展示風景
黄金のカルトナージュのミイラマスク
Installation view
Gilded cartonnage mummy mask