Tom Hardwick, the museum's curator of archaeology and Liz McNabb museum development manager, with the mysterious Peruvian wrapped mummy
WHEN a Bolton "mummy" went to hospital for an x-ray, radiologists made a startling discovery... the mummy was 700 years old and its hands and feet were missing.
As part of research into two Peruvian mummies, Bolton Museum had the bodies scanned at the Royal Bolton Hospital to find out more about how the ancient civilisation may have lived.
The startling results are revealed in a new exhibition at the museum which opens today.
But it was the images of the 700-year-old wrapped mummy that provided the most intriguing mystery.
They revealed that inside mummy the are a number of objects including pebbles, metal beads and shells. The skeleton sits cross legged but images show that the mummy's hands and feet had gone walkabout.
Copies of the x-ray photographs will be on display in the museum.
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Tom Hardwick, the museum's curator of archaeology, said: "This person was clearly buried with the greatest possible care, but without its hands and feet.
"You have to wonder what can have happened - it's a mystery.
Tom Hardwick with the unwrapped mummy
"It is possible that the body could have been damaged if the tomb was robbed but this is no more likely than any other explanation."
The second, unwrapped, mummy is 800 years old and is itself the star of TV show, Mummy Forensics, recently shown on the History Channel.
Most of the Peruvian objects on display at the museum were donated by William Smithies, who worked in cotton mills in Peru from 1896 to 1927.
The exhibition runs until August 2. The museum is open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm and entrance is free of charge.
A free informal talk about the exhibition will be held next Friday from 1pm to 1.30pm in the museum's learning studio.
Posted by: Hugh Jarce, Bolton on 8:33am Sun 4 May 08
Hahaha… I can see the headlines now…
Son to sue hospital after mother died waiting on a trolley in a corridor for 700 years… then, when Radiology staff saw her, her limbs were found to be missing. Anubis (God of Embalming head of jackal) of Farnworth said in a statement…
“It’s a ruddy disgrace, mi old mam, left on’t trolley fut rot away… it’s wrong tha knows!”
My friend went to a private hospital… the treatment was fantastic; breakfast in bed, followed by a Jacuzzi and a rub down with pig fat, then to round it all off, a trip to Disney World Paris… that said, it did cost him an arm and a leg (he paid on his Donor Card) which ironically leads me back to this story…
Fank you!
Hahaha… I can see the headlines now…
Son to sue hospital after mother died waiting on a trolley in a corridor for 700 years… then, when Radiology staff saw her, her limbs were found to be missing. Anubis (God of Embalming head of jackal) of Farnworth said in a statement…
“It’s a ruddy disgrace, mi old mam, left on’t trolley fut rot away… it’s wrong tha knows!”
My friend went to a private hospital… the treatment was fantastic; breakfast in bed, followed by a Jacuzzi and a rub down with pig fat, then to round it all off, a trip to Disney World Paris… that said, it did cost him an arm and a leg (he paid on his Donor Card) which ironically leads me back to this story…
Posted by: mrfusion, Notlob on 10:15am Sun 4 May 08
I think it's sacriledge to be messing around with people's remains. No matter what historic value it brings.
If I find out I'll be in Bolton's museum in 700 years time (if anything is left of Bolton) then I'll be cremated.
I think it's sacriledge to be messing around with people's remains. No matter what historic value it brings.
If I find out I'll be in Bolton's museum in 700 years time (if anything is left of Bolton) then I'll be cremated.
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