Mummies

Mummies provide a window into the traditions and rituals practiced by ancient cultures. Modern analyses on their bones, teeth, hair and preserved soft tissues can also provide information on the health conditions these ancient people experienced, as well as what type of food they ate. Here's the latest news on mummies and what analyses have revealed about their lives.

Related Topics: Ancient Egypt, Archaeology,

Latest Updates

Cachette of the Priests mummies discovered.

30 Perfectly Preserved Coffins Holding Ancient Egyptian Priest Mummies Discovered

By Owen Jarus last updated

Archaeologists have unearthed 30 sealed wooden coffins with mummies inside at "El-Assasif," an ancient necropolis near Luxor, Egypt.

Cachette of the Priests mummies discovered.

In Photos: 'Cachette of the Priests' Discovered in Luxor

By Owen Jarus published

Archaeologists near Luxor, Egypt, have discovered 30 sealed wooden coffins with mummies inside, some of which belonged to ancient Egyptian priests. Here are photos of the findings.

Heads of two mummies that were excavated by archaeologists at mummies at Dakhla Oasis in Egypt.

4,000-Year-Old Mummies Showed Early Signs of Heart Disease

By Mindy Weisberger published

Five mummies dating to 4,000 years ago had cholesterol buildup in their arteries, hinting that humans have been susceptible to heart disease since ancient times.

Valley of the Kings discoveries

2 Mummies Unearthed in Ancient Egyptian Cemetery Where King Tut and Other Royalty Were Buried

By Owen Jarus published

Two mummies have been unearthed in Egypt's Valley of the Kings, the cemetery holding the tomb of King Tut and other Egyptian royalty.

Bent Pyramid

Egypt's 'Bent Pyramid' Opens for First Time in More Than 50 Years

By Laura Geggel published

For the first time since 1965, two pyramids built by the ancient Egyptians, including the unique "Bent Pyramid," are being opened to the public, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities.

Dozens of Mummified Mice and Birds Found in Ancient Egyptian Tomb

By Mindy Weisberger published

The well-preserved burial chamber was vividly painted with funerary scenes.

60 Ancient Egyptian Mummies Entombed Together Died 'Bloody, Fearsome Deaths'

By Mindy Weisberger published

Why did all these mummies end up in the same place?

Stolen Mummy Feet, Arms and More Found Stashed in Speakers at Cairo Airport

By Mindy Weisberger published

Egyptian officials at the airport discovered smuggled mummy parts.

The mummies were from individuals of all ages, both male and female. Some were buried in niches within the maze of burial chambers at Tuna el-Gebel.

Maze of Tombs in Egypt Holds Many Mummies Dating Back 2,300 Years

By Jeanna Bryner published

The mummies spanned all ages and were buried in various types of tombs, all seeming to date back to the Ptolemaic dynasty, which lasted from 305 to 30 B.C.

500-Year-Old Greenland Mummies Had Heart Disease, Scans Show

By Mindy Weisberger published

Signs of ancient plaque in mummies' hearts hint at cardiovascular disease.

mummy madness

Photos: Mummies Discovered in Tombs in Ancient Egyptian City

By Owen Jarus published

Archaeologists have discovered several mummies and sarcophagi in two separate tombs near Luxor (ancient Thebes) in Egypt.

mummy madness

Exquisitely Preserved Mummies Discovered in One of Egypt's Largest Tombs

By Owen Jarus published

The tomb is so big that archaeologists have been excavating since the 19th century.

Professor Eske Willerslev with Donna and Joey, two members of the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone tribe.

North America's Oldest Mummy Sheds Light on Ancient Migrations

By Megan Gannon published

A 10,600-year-old mummy found in Nevada is helping scientists fill in their fuzzy picture of how humans first migrated into the Americas.

The remains of tens of cat mummies were discovered in the complex at Saqqara, Egypt.

Tens of Cat Mummies and 100 Cat Statues Found Near Ancient Egyptian Pyramid

By Owen Jarus last updated

Ancient Egyptians seem to have been "cat people," or at least cat mummy people.

cat statues

Purrfect Photos: Cat Mummies and Wooden Cat Statues Discovered at Ancient Egyptian Burial Complex

By Owen Jarus published

Tens of cat mummies and around 100 wooden statues of cats were discovered near a pyramid in Saqqara, Egypt. The area seems to have been used for cat burials thousands of years ago.

Airtight Iron Coffin Found in Queens Held a Mysterious 19th-Century Mummy

By Mindy Weisberger published

How did a 19th-century mummy in an iron coffin end up in a Queens construction site?

Linen-wrapped mummy

The Identity of This Remarkably Well-Preserved Egyptian Mummy Remains a Mystery

By Owen Jarus published

The mummified wolf pup is so well preserved, it still has its head, tail, paws, skin and hair intact.

Amazingly Preserved Wolf Pup Mummy Discovered in Yukon Gold Mine

By Megan Gannon published

Frozen for more than 50,000 years, the pup still has its tail and paws.

Penguin graveyard

Here's Why There Are Hundreds of Ancient, Mummified Penguins in Antarctica

By Laura Geggel published

In the necropolis of Saqqara, Egypt, researchers discovered a broken jar containing what appeared to be a hunk of 3,300-year-old cheese — possibly the oldest known cheese in the world.

'Cursed' Mummy Cheese Might Be the World's Oldest, Researchers Say

By Brandon Specktor published

Let us (not) eat the whitish mummy cheese.