Mummies and Death in Egypt.

MUMMIES AND DEATH IN EGYPT FRANCOISE DUNAND AND ROGER LICHTENBERG

Though mummies have been found in Mexico, Siberia, and on Tenerife Island, none was so painstakingly crafted or adorned as were mummies in Egypt. In the first part of the book, Dunand, a professor of the history of religion, reviews the funerary practices of the earliest Egyptian dynasties. She details how bodies were wrapped and positioned in sarcophagi. With time, adornments became more intricate, often including texts and maps on the inside of coffins, which indicate the culture's belief in an afterlife. Even animal companions were mummified. Dunand describes the elaborate pyramids and tombs intended to usher nobles into the afterlife. In the second part of the book, Lichtenberg, a physician, details the science that goes into the study of mummies. Since the early 20th century, scientists in museums have used x rays to look inside mummified remains. The research methods also include other medical-imaging techniques, basic clinical observation, and the study of hair. Finally, Lichtenberg presents the scientific findings from several mummy collections. Cornell, 2006, 234 p., b&w images, hardcover, $39.95.