Loan of the works from the IAC Collection, Villeurbanne/Rhône-Alpes:
BEN (Benjamin Vautier, dit), J’attends, 2006
Markus Schinwald, Utopia Station, 2003
BEN (Benjamin Vautier, dit), J’attends, 2006
Markus Schinwald, Utopia Station, 2003
Momies, 19/11/2025 to 25/05/2026, Musée de l'Homme, Paris, France
Through their mere evocation, “mummies” awaken imaginations rooted in Ancient Egypt. Yet mummification goes far beyond this specific time and place. This new exhibition invites you to explore the history of several mummified individuals, uncover the importance and diversity of the practice across the world, and examine the processes through which these remains have been turned into heritage.
Intriguing, fascinating, sometimes frightening, “Mummies” have inspired countless works and stories. They appear in films, TV shows, books, and comics—hidden in tombs, sealed in golden sarcophagi, their bodies wrapped in worn-out bandages. This popularity has shaped a stereotypical image of "the mummy," fixed in time and space, most often associated with Ancient Egypt.
But mummification has much older origins! The oldest known mummified bodies date back 9,000 years and belong to the Chinchorro culture. Found in a region between present-day Peru and Chile, they prove that this practice has existed in various places around the world.
Other examples include the mummified child discovered in 1756 in Martres-d'Artière, in the heart of rural Auvergne (France); the young queen from the Guanche culture of the Canary Islands; or the “Chachapoya mummy” from the Peruvian Andes, exhibited at the Musée d’Ethnographie du Trocadéro as early as 1878 and believed to have inspired Edvard Munch’s famous painting The Scream.
From ancient times to the present, mummification has endured and is still practiced today in several societies.
Meeting the “Mummies”
This exhibition offers an encounter with people who were intentionally mummified—in South America, Egypt, France, and elsewhere. While natural mummification does occur, most mummified individuals underwent the process by choice. The exhibition also explores the roles these individuals held in their societies, both before and after their mummification.
Since the human body is naturally meant to decay, the exhibition invites you to discover why so many cultures chose one of the most advanced methods of bodily preservation.
Techniques and Rituals of Mummification
Whether displayed lying down, seated, or crouching—naked, clothed, or wrapped in bandages—these preserved bodies offer clues about how they were transformed to endure through the ages.
This highly codified process involves specialized funerary experts and a range of rituals. Through emblematic objects—funerary furniture, illustrations, and educational tools—the exhibition highlights the many techniques and ceremonial practices of mummification.
From Egyptomania to the Challenges of Conserving Human Remains
Using never-before-seen archives, the exhibition revisits the rise of archaeology and the founding of museums that followed. In the 19th century, archaeology became all the rage, and excavations—often frantically conducted by colonial powers—brought numerous mummified bodies into Western museum collections, captivating the public, especially during popular, widely publicized events.
Today, museum practices have evolved. Institutions now investigate the provenance of these remains and question their journeys. This exhibition offers a glimpse into the ethical considerations museums—such as the Muséum—are engaging with regarding the conservation and display of human remains.
Multidisciplinary Scientific Research
Finally, the scientific study of mummified remains offers unprecedented insights into past lives.
Who were these people? What was their lifestyle? What did they look like? What was their physical condition before death? Did they suffer from illnesses? What was their relationship to death? These are just some of the many questions driving current research.
Discover how scientists today analyze and reconstruct the lives of mummified individuals.
Through their mere evocation, “mummies” awaken imaginations rooted in Ancient Egypt. Yet mummification goes far beyond this specific time and place. This new exhibition invites you to explore the history of several mummified individuals, uncover the importance and diversity of the practice across the world, and examine the processes through which these remains have been turned into heritage.
Intriguing, fascinating, sometimes frightening, “Mummies” have inspired countless works and stories. They appear in films, TV shows, books, and comics—hidden in tombs, sealed in golden sarcophagi, their bodies wrapped in worn-out bandages. This popularity has shaped a stereotypical image of "the mummy," fixed in time and space, most often associated with Ancient Egypt.
But mummification has much older origins! The oldest known mummified bodies date back 9,000 years and belong to the Chinchorro culture. Found in a region between present-day Peru and Chile, they prove that this practice has existed in various places around the world.
Other examples include the mummified child discovered in 1756 in Martres-d'Artière, in the heart of rural Auvergne (France); the young queen from the Guanche culture of the Canary Islands; or the “Chachapoya mummy” from the Peruvian Andes, exhibited at the Musée d’Ethnographie du Trocadéro as early as 1878 and believed to have inspired Edvard Munch’s famous painting The Scream.
From ancient times to the present, mummification has endured and is still practiced today in several societies.
Meeting the “Mummies”
This exhibition offers an encounter with people who were intentionally mummified—in South America, Egypt, France, and elsewhere. While natural mummification does occur, most mummified individuals underwent the process by choice. The exhibition also explores the roles these individuals held in their societies, both before and after their mummification.
Since the human body is naturally meant to decay, the exhibition invites you to discover why so many cultures chose one of the most advanced methods of bodily preservation.
Techniques and Rituals of Mummification
Whether displayed lying down, seated, or crouching—naked, clothed, or wrapped in bandages—these preserved bodies offer clues about how they were transformed to endure through the ages.
This highly codified process involves specialized funerary experts and a range of rituals. Through emblematic objects—funerary furniture, illustrations, and educational tools—the exhibition highlights the many techniques and ceremonial practices of mummification.
From Egyptomania to the Challenges of Conserving Human Remains
Using never-before-seen archives, the exhibition revisits the rise of archaeology and the founding of museums that followed. In the 19th century, archaeology became all the rage, and excavations—often frantically conducted by colonial powers—brought numerous mummified bodies into Western museum collections, captivating the public, especially during popular, widely publicized events.
Today, museum practices have evolved. Institutions now investigate the provenance of these remains and question their journeys. This exhibition offers a glimpse into the ethical considerations museums—such as the Muséum—are engaging with regarding the conservation and display of human remains.
Multidisciplinary Scientific Research
Finally, the scientific study of mummified remains offers unprecedented insights into past lives.
Who were these people? What was their lifestyle? What did they look like? What was their physical condition before death? Did they suffer from illnesses? What was their relationship to death? These are just some of the many questions driving current research.
Discover how scientists today analyze and reconstruct the lives of mummified individuals.
