How the mummy returned

As part of the exhibition, Mummy - The Inside Story, unravelling the mystery of the Egyptian Mummy, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) is hosting special sessions on the process of mummification.

Titled The Preservation Lab, the hourly sessions held on Tuesdays allow visitors to understand the science behind preserving the mummies or mummification, which involves processes such as embalming the body and wrapping it before burial. The lecture also delves into other aspects of preservation in day-to-day life including preserving foodstuff.

Understand the science behind mummification at this workshop. Representation Pic

Preserve, protect
Providing more details about the Lab, Bilwa Kulkarni, Education Officer at CSMVS, says, "There are demonstrations and a presentation that showcases mummification, food preservation and taxidermy (art of preparing, stuffing, and mounting skins of animals) techniques. Several techniques have relevance in day-to-day life, including pickling."

The sessions will be held for an hour for batches of visitors, every Tuesday. If one chooses to learn more about the topic on offer, they will be guided to the relevant sources too. "We wanted to offer a science-oriented interactive activity and that's why the Lab fits the bill.

People are free to ask questions as it helps them understand certain unbelievable techniques involved in mummification, which allowed the mummies to remain intact even after thousands of years," reveals Kulkarni.

The lecture talks about the processes involved, the significance of the mummification rituals and their place in Egyptian culture.

The sessions have been ongoing since November 2012 when the exhibition began and will continue till March 2013. Since it's a walk-in activity, prior registration is not required, she informs.u00a0