The Art of Ancient Egypt | Publications for Educators | Explore & Learn

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Unwrapping of Wah's mummy
Photograph by the Egyptian Expedition, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1940

Nearly twenty years after Wah's mummy and burial equipment had been shipped to New York, the Museum staff X-rayed the mummy. The X-ray plates revealed dark shadows around Wah's neck, wrists, and ankles, indicating that jewelry had been placed on the body. The decision was made to unwrap Wah, a process shown here. As the linen shrouds were carefully removed, the whole cartonnage (like papier-mache but made with linen and gesso) mask with its stylized wig and broad collar necklace became visible. The center photo shows a layer of bandages soaked in resin, which may have been intended to protect the body from malevolent spirits. Below the resin layer were four bead necklaces. After more layers of linen bandages were unwrapped, another layer of resin-soaked bandages was found, wrapped separately around the arms and legs, preserving the mummy's human form. A broad collar and anklets of turquoise-blue beads were partly stuck in the resin. When the body had been completely unwrapped, it was given to the American Museum of Natural History for study.

Notice: photo sequence, position of the jewelry

Discuss: why archaeologists work slowly, taking detailed notes and many photographs

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