Conservation continues on 2,500-year-old mummy
Conservation work has started at the Field Museum on the 2,500-year-old mummy of a 14-year-old Egyptian boy.
Scientists opened the coffin last week and continued conservation work this week. The boy is named Minirdis and was the son of a priest. Conservators are hoping to stabilize the mummy and coffin so they can travel in the exhibit "Mummies: Images of the Afterlife," which is expected to open in Los Angeles in September.
Specifically, conservators are creating wood pieces to repair broken sections of the coffin. They're also using new linen to fill holes and gaps in the death mask.
The Field Museum has had the mummy since the 1920s. It's part of the museum's collection of 30 complete human mummies from Egypt.
The burial mask of Minirdis.
Associated Press
Conservator Mimi Leveque looks under the mummified body of Minirdis on Wednesday at the Field Museum.
Associated Press
A section of the burial shroud belonging to Minirdis, a 14-year-old Egyptian boy who was the son of a priest, lies ready for conservation work Wednesday at the Field Museum.
Associated Press
The mummified body of Minirdis, a 14-year-old Egyptian boy and his exposed toes lie in his opened coffin last week after J.P. Brown and his team of curators at the Field Museum opened the coffin for the first time in Chicago.
Associated Press
JP Brown, Regenstein conservator at the Field Museum, right, and assistant conservator Morgan Nau look over a photograph of the backside of the mummified body of Minirdis.
Associated Press
Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked.
If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.