Momiology (MUMMIFICATION) with Dr. Kara Cooney & Dr. Salima Ikram
Part 1: Linen wrapping. Expensive resins. Sarcophagi. Preserving for eternity – or until someone raids their tomb. It’s a brand-new Spooktober episode with not one but two guests: Dr. Salima Ikram is a professor of Egyptology and expert on mummification of both people and animals, and is joined by veteran guest from the Egyptology episode, professor and author Dr. Kara Cooney. The two chat about mummification techniques, how food studies lead into the pyramids, controversy over the word “mummy,” whiffing the dead, socioeconomic factors in mummification, animal mummies, lingering mysteries, field work, a house mouse, and more. Next week in Part 2 we’ll dive into more ethics of collections, human sacrifice, the people who ate mummified remains, paint colors, coffin engravings and the meaning of “magic.”
Listen via Apple, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Podbay, Podcast Addict, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Part 2: Coffin engravings! Archaeology ethics! Linen wrappings! Repatriation! Sexy hippos! We’re back with more mummies in this Part 2 with the wonderful Drs. Salima Ikram & Kara Cooney who chat about animal mummies, eating mummified remains, plant resins, the debate over human sacrifice, coffin reuse, Egyptian tourism, the worst temple gift shop in history, and what happens if you’re late to your own funeral. Also: is all religion magic? Let’s get into it.
Listen via Apple, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Podbay, Podcast Addict, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Visit Dr. Cooney’s website and follow her on Instagram, X, YouTube, and Facebook
Get Kara’s latest book, Recycling for Death: Coffin Reuse in Ancient Egypt and the Theban Royal Caches, and browse her other books on Amazon or Bookshop.org
Subscribe to Kara’s Substack Ancient/Now
Visit Dr. Ikram’s website and follow her on Facebook
Get Salima’s latest book, Let a Cow-Skin Be Brought: Armour, Chariots and Other Leather Remains in Tutankhamun’s Tomb, and browse her other books on Amazon or Bookshop.org
Donations went to the Yellowhammer Fund and Doctors Without Borders
Links to things we discussed:
Coffins - The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Smelly pyramid - Review of Pyramids of Dahshour, Giza, Egypt - Tripadvisor
Off the Spice Rack: The Story of Salt | HISTORY
Egyptian Mummies | Smithsonian Institution
Debate over use of the term ‘mummy’ in UK museums
Ancient Egyptian coffins and mystery of 'black goo'
What is the Mysterious Black Goo of the Ancient Egyptians? | Ancient Architects
King Tut's face unveiled to world
Tutankhamun’s tomb (innermost coffin and death mask)
Oops! Brain-Removal Tool Left in Mummy's Skull
The family link that reaches back 300 generations to a Cheddar cave | The Independent
Mesolithic Skeleton known as 'Cheddar Man' shares the same DNA with English Teacher of History!
'He's one of us': modern neighbours welcome Cheddar Man
A photo of what Cheddar Man may have looked like
Repellency and toxicity of a CO2-derived cedarwood oil on hard tick species (Ixodidae)
Centuries old mummy head on display in Belfast antique shop
Mummy head for sale in Belfast antique shop
New book explains how famous Mummy was murdered
The Life and times of Takabuti in ancient Egypt: investigating the Belfast mummy
$35K Ancient Egyptian Mummy Head (circa 775BC)
Unwrapping the ancient Egyptian animal mummy industry - BBC News
Dr. Rose Campbell, Bioarchaeologist
The Poetics of Human Sacrifice in Ancient Egypt
The social context of human sacrifice in ancient Egypt
The human remains from Tomb MMA 514 in North Asasif
Egyptian Mummy (Tomb) - Aroma Oil
Other episodes you may enjoy:
Desairology (MORTUARY MAKE-UP)
Metropolitan Tombology (PARIS CATACOMBS)
Attention-Deficit Neuropyschology (ADHD)
Forest Entomology (CREEPY CRAWLIES)
Suicidology (SUICIDE AWARENESS & PREVENTION)
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Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jacob Chaffee
Managing Director: Susan Hale
Scheduling Producer: Noel Dilworth
Transcripts by Aveline Malek
Website by Kelly R. Dwyer
Theme song by Nick Thorburn