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Found: Plain Old Mummies

The Kharga Oasis, 125 miles southwest of Luxor, Egypt, is not the first place you would think to look for mummies. There are no pyramids and no fancy burial sites of great Pharaohs. It is an ordinary place where ordinary farmers once lived and died.

But in ancient Egypt even ordinary farmers carefully preserved their dead. A stash of their mummies, found by Egyptian workers, offers precious clues about the way everyday Egyptians lived 2,000 years ago.

Scientists from France spent 10 days a year, from 1994 to 1997, digging at the site. Many royal tombs have been robbed by treasure hunters, but these graves had barely been touched. The mummies were in great condition, with hair and facial expressions intact.

What was life like for these long-ago farmers? It was probably harsh and brief. X rays of 60 bodies show that many adults had swollen joints and deformed bones, which may have resulted from hard work. Ancient Egyptians were not so tall as people are today, probably because their nutrition was not as good. Most died by the age of 38, and many died in childhood.

Unlike the more famous, royal mummies, these ancient bodies will not show up in a museum. The French team returned the bodies to their graves. Because of the remote location and the absence of riches to attract thieves, it is unlikely the tombs will ever be disturbed again.

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Did You Know?

MUMMIES were prepared for burial in Egypt for more than 3,000 years. About 70 million bodies were mummified. The chemical natron was used to dry many of the bodies.

MUMMIES took about 70 days to prepare. First, the intestines, stomach, lungs and liver were removed. They were put in jars and buried with the mummy. The brain was removed through the nose. It was considered unimportant!

MUMMIES in early ancient Egypt were buried naked in the sand. Later they were wrapped in hundreds of yards of linen. Pets and valuable items were often buried with their owner.

MUMMIES are not unique to Egypt. People of other cultures, including South America's Incas, also preserved their dead. In very dry climates, bodies are sometimes mummified naturally.

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