The Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology

In a museum about anthropology and archaeology, there is really only one obvious choice for an object.  That choice is human remains.

I chose a mummified head that is part of the museum’s new project In the Artifact Lab: Convserving Egyptian Mummies.  It is an actual human head wrapped in linen.  The head is from the 22^nd Dynasty dating between 945 – 712 BCE.  It was excavated in Thebes, Egypt by W.M.F. Petrie.

This head is important to conservators and those studying Egyptology and mummification.  It is currently in the process of being conserved and is on display as an example of the conservation process.  The identity of this particular head is unknown and it is unclear why only the head is possessed by the museum.  Conserving this head may be beneficial if the rest of the body is found again.

 

 

The head is on display just behind the glass walls that surround the working lab.   It is placed inside a shallow cardboard box and resting on paper.  There is a small bag containing a few other mummified remains.  Writing on the bag describes the content, but it is difficult to read.  The display is less “museum-like” and more “lab-like.”  This helps to create the feeling of seeing an actual working lab where research and conservation efforts are actual taking place as opposed to a simulated experience (like dioramas) that may be expected from museums.

Ooh! A real scientist!

 

The text on the display panel promotes scientific research of this and all other mummies.   The panels treat each mummy as an artifact and do not focus on the fact that these “objects” are actually human remains.  It is very easy, based on the text in the descriptive panels, to forget about the human aspect of the remains.  Similarly, the conservator working in the lab is also treated more like an object.  She is on display behind glass, just like would be found in any other exhibit in the museum.

Just to the left of the head is a large image that has been taken from an Egyptian tomb.  This image is also in the process of being restored.  The colors are faded and there are many cracks and missing pieces.  There are also many other partially conserved mummies close to this head.  One interesting display on a nearby wall allows visitors to feel what the skin of mummies is like.  All these nearby objects help visitors to understand the process of conservation and Egyptian mummification. 

The study of Egyptology and the history of the different dynasties of Egypt would enrich the understanding of this object, as well as a complete understanding of the mummification process used during this time period.  The study of biological and chemical process and how they affect body preservation would also help with the understanding of this object.  The study of art conservation would also enrich the understanding of this head.  This would allow for comparing and contrasting of strategies used in both forms of conservation.

More heads!

 This is an actual human head and would not be interesting to those who are disgusted by dismembered body parts, regardless of mummification or conservation status.   It may also not be appealing to visitors who care only to see the polished, finished product in museum displays.  This lab is focused on the “working” aspect of conservation and not the final museum exhibit.

An opposing viewpoint could be that the remains should be removed from their resting place and put on display in any manner.   The conservation efforts promoted by the museum should not be taking place out of respect to the life that was once part of that head.

 

Another way to engage viewers with this head would be to illustrate the entire mummification process.   This could begin by showing the steps that are taken to begin the mummification process and then the effects on the body over time.  Information regarding the frequent tomb raiding and usage of mummies for medicinal purposes could be included as a possibility for how the museum came to acquire only the head of the mummy.  The display could then show the conservation process and how it will counter the effects of aging and environmental factors.