The Egyptian collection of Museu Nacional,Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and the conservation of mummies in a tropical environment

Abstract

A beautiful and representative Egyptian collection -the most ancient and perhaps the most important in South America- is at the Museu Nacional, in Rio de Janeiro. Most of this collection was brought in the 19th century to the Royal Museum by the first Brazilian emperor, D. Pedro I. Many of the objects represent different periods of ancient Egyptian history, including mummified bodies of humans and animals. It is likely that most of these materials are from Thebes as confirmed by recent studies. Some of the mummies are rare (for instance Roman woman #158, and one sarcophagus that is still closed). A research program with special analysis, non invasive investigations using X-rays and CT scanning, and other studies are being made. Correct age and sex of the embalmed bodies, signs of disease, and details of mummification techniques will be presented here, along with a general description of the collection and its present museum exhibition.