Ancient Egyptian Forum

sriram · Tomb Robber Joined: 23 Oct 2004 Posts: 1

Hai guys! Im new to this site. I love Mummies.......

Im in India. But i aspire to visit and kiss the mummies in Egypt......

Bad luck i cant. So i have come here to gain knowledge about Mummies...

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I have experience in many message boards..

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Psusennes I · Pharaoh Joined: 09 Sep 2004 Posts: 913 Location: England

Hi Sriram. Welcome to KTO!

I'll tell you some interesting stuff about mummies. The word 'mummy' is of mixed etymological origin. It came to English in the 1400s. through Mediaeval Latin. The word 'mum' meant wax in ancient Persian, and 'iyiah' meant body. As the mummies were preserved using a combination of salt, wax and oils the Persians (who invaded Egypt under Cambyses) gave them the name of 'mumiyah'. This came through the Ancient Greek and then Latin to the Romance languages of Europe. It is first recorded as 'mummy' in the 1615 Winter Almanac of James I.

Why do you want to kiss mummies by the way? The famous ones are 3000 years old, and most are still encased in cartonage cases. The few royal mummies that have been unwrapped are for the most missing, but some are on display in the 'mummy wing' of the Cairo Museum.

I'll help you to learn about mummies, but it would make sense for you to actually start asking questions rather than surveying to find out if we will help. I think that everyone here would be pleased to help.
What do you want to know about mummies then, Sriram?
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Si-amun · Posted: Sun Oct 24, 2004 3:46 pm Post subject:

If you want to kiss a mummy I suggest you visit the Valley of the Nobles in Egypt. When I was there I was given the mummy of a young child to hold whilst they took my picture. I was sickened by the fact that they had handed it to me and also the way that the dead were being treated. That was the only place that you could come close to a mummy in my experience. I suspect that the practice of doing that may have been stopped now because either the police found out or the mummy fell to pieces.
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Thou dost appear beautiful on the horizon of heaven, oh living Amun, he who was the first to live.

Ramsekh · Gods/Goddesses Joined: 03 Aug 2004 Posts: 746

Is it wrapped. If it isn't, I wouldn't wash my hands afterwards. It's one of my dreams to touch a mummy.
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Psusennes I · Pharaoh Joined: 09 Sep 2004 Posts: 913 Location: England

Heavens! You're all so . . . impious and disrespectful! Why would anyone want to handle the dead- especially when they died believing that their bodies would be save and last for eternity.
That really is cruel and sacrilegious. If you are one of those who actually want to prod and poke at the dead then you should be ashamed of yourselves.
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Si-amun · Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 6:21 pm Post subject:

Can I just get it straight here that I didn't want that to happen to me at all. Two Arab men put it in my hands and I didn't know what it was at first (the tombs are very dark as there is no lighting). Needless to say that as soon as I realised I handed it straight back. I am one of those who think that mummies should be returned to their tombs as much as possible (as was the case with Tutankhamun), it just seems more respectful to how they would have wanted to be treated.
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Thou dost appear beautiful on the horizon of heaven, oh living Amun, he who was the first to live.

Dark_Meryetamun_28 · Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 7:22 pm Post subject:

back on topic, people. Giving information about mummies, not about touching them. However, that would make a very interesting discussion, and whoever wishes to continue it, please make another thread.
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