The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-09-23 00:00:00

EGYPTIAN MUMMY.

The Hunterian M Melia at Glasgow has just been enriebed
by the sego isitiou of an Egyptian Mummy, the donation of
Mr. Joshua Heywood, jos. of this city, which, frame its high
state of preservatioa, may he considered as the most inter-
esting addition in the Antiquarian &parlors., made to
that very valuable collection since it because the property
Qerne University.
The beefy, shrouded in from fifty to sixty folds of rather
c..iirar pale brickied coloured linen, is deposited in a strung
wooden coffin, faehioneel so as to bear a rude resemblance
to the human shape. At the upper extremity is carved a
f ..ce, the Patters of which (as is 11w ease with all Egyptian
ii Milton) arc very much of the Nepal east. The coffin,
alwe4 she entire leogth of its outside, is richly ornamented
teeth a profusion of hieroglyphical characters, of various
c all in a stale of the must perfect preservative.
case immediately containing the body hi again in-
Tigard iu a second, similarly shaped, but more sparingly
ornaineisterl, and exhibiting a greater appearance of anti-
..
y.
This highly interesting relic was exinsined in presence of
several Professors Upon opening the inner coffin, tlw fresh-
nr,s of tlw linen forming the investment, excited a desire
of carrying the investigation the length of ascertaining the
actual existence of an embalmed humeri body.
A lungiteedival incision was made 'biomes the coverings
iwinediately over the face, which were evidently continuous
rt.! a. of the same web. Those in immediate coeliac' with
t!,e skin were soaked in liquid asphaltum, a substaisce of
I.zlily antiseptic power, and said to have been employed by
the Eeirplians in embalming. The head was completely
ei.muded of these coverings, shewiug a face, apparently fe-
Mlle. in an enmeshing stale of preservation.
Though the features were much collapsed, the face
was no where divested of skin. The skin itself was of •
cheanuvbrown colour. The brow was well shaped, though,
If soy way defective, narrow; and to some it may be inte-
resting to learn, the organ of music was prominent. The
nose, though slightly compressed, retained enough or its ori-
ginal shape to be reeogstord as Roman. The climb-hours
were pi umisseut. The mouth, most likely from the shrink-
ing of the muscles attached to it, was wider than accorded
with she general good proportion of the face. The space
between the nose sad the chin, especially between the nose
nod month, was also proportionally too distant. Inellepen-
deut, however, of these exceptions, the face was decidedly
'handsome. There appeared upon the chin nut the slightest
vestige of hair, but that upon the eyebrows was distinct, and
finely arched. Upon the scalp there was a profusion of
silky gulden hair, about two and a half inches iii length. A
small portion of the scalp accidentally removed, showed the
skim with all the freshness of recent hour. Having sepa-
rated the tips about the eighth part of au inch, the fore teeth
could be sees, remarkably white, and regularly shaped.
Our circumstance must hive struck all who had au op-
portunity of seeing tl.r shove interesting exansinatiou,
wieldy, the dissimilarity of she features to what we are
taught to believe were those of the inhabitants of Egypt, at
the remote period at which the cu.tom of embalming ex-
isted in that country. A moment's re:licencs will sullice to
convince us that Ibis circumstance can in nu way throw dia.
credit on the artiquity or genuine character of the mummy.
It is sufficiently well known that at all times the conqueror
has adopted, in a greater or mare partial degree, the cus-
toms of the conquered. %tic should therefore naturally ex-
pect Kin theCrecian settlers whom Alexander left iu
It rent parts eff Egypt, after its conquest, would imilate the
habits of the Egyptians in this and other respects; or we
breve, pn-hapa, a more direct solution of the difficulty (if so
it can be considered; by supposing what would in many in-
stances take place, she intermarriage of an Exy pilau with
the daughter of a Creek.
Mr. Millar, portralt.psinter in this town, is at present
fe-nbinr n likeness in oil of the face and surrounding liana,
us they appeared immediately after they were exposed • and
was completely successful in the accuracy of the 'Ams.
le fore the exposure to the air had converted the fare from a
fi. is,, to a sable but, which it did w the short period of three
•tirs.

Su.ue farther particulars may be expected In s•fettere
p r Courie►.)

PRICE OF STOOLS YLITSRDAY.
2 pet Ct. Cons.6o4infi I Lott. Titkets..Bll. 180.
5 eel Ct.N. Au. iuggli I Oumium... 3 di..
India Bouds..ga ig pr. I Bruk fur Account.. 219
Es. ails. g.. 3 5 4 pt. I Cars. fur Ace._66:aiti
13111 Cum.!. 4 pr. I •