Table of Contents

Preface; Acknowledgements; 1. History of mummy studies; 2. Purpose of anthropogenic mummification; 3. Mechanisms of mummification; 4. The geography of mummies; 5. Soft tissue taphonomy; 6. Mummy study methodology; 7. Animal mummies; 8. Soft tissue paleopathology: diseases of the viscera; 9. The museology of mummies; 10. Use and abuse of mummies; References; Index.

Promotional Information

Originally published in 2003, this is a lavishly illustrated reference volume on mummies and what can be learned from them worldwide.

About the Author

ARTHUR C. AUFDERHEIDE is a Professor in the Department of Pathology at the University of Minnesota, Duluth.

Reviews

'... this book should be required reading for any serious researcher on the sometimes gory but always fascinating subject of mummies and what they can teach us about human beliefs and behaviour.' Sarah Wiseman, Nature '... a classic work ...'. The Lancet '... will become the standard reference text for bioarchaeological studies of mummified human remains and it is unlikely that the book will be superseded in this role for a very long time.' International Journal of Osteoarchaeology '... an indispensable research tool for students of ancient populations and palaeophathology ... a work of immense scholarship, superbly documents and exhaustively referenced.' Times Higher Education Supplement 'Aufderheide's book, with its careful descriptions, beautiful illustrations, clear facts and timely reflections of a dedicated author, is in itself a statement on mummy studies and how they should be carried out for the benefit of all.' Annals of Human Biology 'This work, a veritable tour de force of mummy studies, will establish itself as the classic volume on mummies. The work is, therefore, essential reading for palaeopathologists, osteologists, archaeologists and mummy specialists worldwide.' Journal of Biosocial Sciences '... a timely addition to the literature, providing a basic text for training programmes in this field and also a research reference source. ... the range and depth of the author's scholarship and firsthand contributions to mummy science ensure that this thought-provoking book, with its wealth of facts, research citations and suggestions for future developments, will remain a classic in this field.' Rosalie David, University of Manchester