OLDEST MUMMY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13781, 20 June 1908, Page 2 (Supplement)

OLDEST MUMMY.

EGYPTIAN PRINCE UNROLLED AFTER 4000 YEARS. The mummy of Prince Khnumu Nekht, wrapped up some 4400 years ago, was unrolled recently at Manchester University by Miss Margaret- Murray, of University College, London. It is the oldest- mummy that has undergone this treatment, and the result was awaited with keen interest. It was. known that if the body wore preserved it would show that the process of embalmment was practised by the Egyptians' at a. much earlier date than that of which Egyptologists have evidence. If, on the other hand, the body was merely bones, then it would show that embalming the dead, so as to preserve the body, van a process of a later introduction than B.C. 2500. In addition to the Bishop of Salford and a number of ladies, many university professors and students were present. The. mummy was swathed in several layers of bandages in a style which, Miss Murray said, was quite different to that of the last mummy that was unwrapped. That was one of the 26th dynasty. When the ast bandage had been removed the bones crumbled into dust, with the exception of the skull, which remained intact. Miss Murray said that the body had not been mummified in the ordinary sense, though it had been preserved in some way. Evidently the real art of embalming was not known then. There was a Second mummy in evidence—that of the priestly brother of the prince—bub it was not unrolled.