| Kherima Human Mummy | |
| |
| Biographical Information | |
|---|---|
| Name(s) | Princess Kherima |
| Age | 18-20 years |
| Sex | Female |
| Status | high |
| Height | |
| Source | |
| Culture | Egyptian |
| Date(s) | Roman Period, 1st or 2nd century |
| Site | |
| Current Location | |
| Location | Destroyed by the fire in the National Museum of Brazil, in Rio de Janeiro, on September 2, 2018. |
| Catalog # | |
Kherima, also known as “Princess of the Sun” is a female Egyptian mummy from Thebes. It is estimated that she was between 18-20 years old at death and lived during the Roman Period around the 1st or 2nd century.
Mummification[]
During mummification, the brain and viscera were removed but the teeth were preserved. Her fingers and toes were individually wrapped and decorated with painted strips to resemble painted nails. There are also various decorations on the bandages that wrap her torso. Kherima’s mummy was one of nine mummies preserved in this way to give them a doll-like appearance.
Pathology[]
Legend says that she was stabbed to death but evidence of this cannot be seen on her mummy, it is probable her actual cause of death was due to some sort of infection that is concealed by the mummification although no evidence of disease has been found.
Additional[]
Kherima inspired Everton Ralph to write a book titled “The Secret of the Mummy”
The mummy was completely destroyed in the fire that ravaged the National Museum of Brazil on the night of September 2, 2018. The museum's historic collection - which had other Egyptian mummies from the collection of Emperor Dom Pedro I and Latin American mummies - was almost a total loss.
References[]
National Museum of Brazil. (2017, October 23). Retrieved November 20, 2017, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Museum_of_Brazil
Grandelle, R. (2013, December 07). Múmia Kherima intriga pesquisadores do Museu Nacional. Retrieved November 20, 2017, from https://oglobo.globo.com/sociedade/historia/mumia-kherima-intriga-pesquisadores-do-museu-nacional-10998769
Leonardi, A. C. (2018, September 03). Incêndio: as múmias dignas de filme do Museu Nacional. Retrieved September 03, 2018, from https://super.abril.com.br/historia/as-mumias-dignas-de-filme-do-museu-nacional/
BBC (2018, September 03). Brazil's national museum hit by huge fire. Retrieved September 03, 2018, from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-45392668