São Paulo – The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum in Curitiba and the Ciro Flamarion Cardoso Archaeology Museum in Ponta Grossa will host the Day of the Mummy on June 8. Intended for children aged 6 to 12, the activity will cover the myth of Osyris and mummification processes in Ancient Egypt.
According to archaeologist Moacir Elias Santos, who works for both museums, there’ll be a theater performance by staff, who’ll dress up as Ancient Egyptians and a 1920s archaeologist. They’ll explain how mummification is done, while two ‘embalmers’ in full attire go to work on a doll.
“This doll has extractable internal organs. Also, exact replicas of archaeological artifacts are used, including a mask of Anubis (pictured above) donned by one of the performers,” Santos told ANBA via email. A ‘priestess’ also tells the story of god Osyris.
The performance was presented on May 18 as part of the National Museums Week celebrations (May 13-19). “The event got great feedback. It was attended by 40 children alongside parents or responsible adults,” said Santos. “It got so much attention and so many people wanted to come that we decided to have a second edition,” he explained.
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The main attraction of the Curitiba museum is Tothmea, an Egyptian mummy dating back roughly 2,700 years. After the fire that ravaged the Rio de Janeiro National Museum last September, it became the only complete mummy on show in Brazil. Santos is in charge of the relic’s conservation.
Osyris
The legend of Osyris is one of the founding myths of Ancient Egypt. A son of the Sky and the Earth and a king among men, the god was killed by his brother Seth and his body was dismembered into 14 parts that were scattered across Egypt. Isis, his wife and sister, put his body back together, and performed the ritual of mummification with help from her sister Nephthys and jackal Anubis.
Osyris defeats death, comes back to life and gives humanity the promise of eternal life, thereby becoming the sovereign of the hereafter. The god is considered the first mummy, and as such he is represented in carved pieces and statues. The offspring of the posthumous union of Osyris and Isis, Horus becomes the legitimate king of Egypt.
Quick facts
Day of the Mummy
June 8, 2 pm
Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum
Rua Nicarágua, 2620, Bacacheri – Curitiba, PR
Children aged 6-12, parents or responsible adults
To register, send child’s name and age, parent/responsible adult’s name and contact info to museu@amorc.org.org
Admission: BRL 10.00 (payable upon entry)
Find out more: +55 41 3351-3024
Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
