The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-11-11
UnrolIing OF an Egyptian Mummy I'm the
Belfast Ireaaadl Museum.

We announced in our last (says the Banner Of
Uisfo,l that the mummy procured by Sir j. N
erson Tennent in the year loi5, and kindly tsr-
warded by him to thus town, was TO be unrolled IL
the museum of the Belfast Natural History Society.
on Thursday. The examination was looked fer.
ward 10 with considerable interest, a royal name
occurring in the inscription on the sarcophagss,
and the heroglyphcs liking the date of the iadl-
vidual as connected with the twelfth Egyptian dy-
nasty The ssrcophagns, which is 10 state Of
perfect preservation, was obtained at Thebes, sacs
'.the city of hundred gates" the site of edIcss
without parallel in tho world-now a heap OF
Iuns-a vast metropolis, Of yawnng pits and
tombs, in which is calculated there are from
o,UDyNO 10 lO,COO.O00 mummed bodies. Thurs
Gay, at o'clock, the member rs Of the Natural His
tory and Philosophical Society, with a number Of
friends, assembled in the museum, for the eur
pose OF Witnessing the operation OF unroll,pg
Those present having taken their seats, the seals
Of the case, which was placed on a table elevated
floor, were removed by DR. Grattan, who,
assisted by DIR. Carlyle, Dr. Stevelly, aud Mr..
Gety, at once proceeded to uncover the
mummy. The case, which was enclosed 10 q
shrcophoRus OF wood, about two and half inches
IN thickness, and ornamented with an immense
variety Of heroglyphcs, representing figures OF ds,-
ties and their gifts bore large number Of inscrip-
tons, the name OF the deceased, her gods, her
depar ing addresses and appeals, &c. IL vas com
posed OF aihs, covered with canvass and layer Of
some adhesive compound. The hieroglyphlcs, both
on the outside and inside, were as legbe as IT tho
paint had been laid on few months ago. No
sooner had the covering been taken oil than Il was
discovered that the case must have been opened
before, and that some rude hand probably of plum
denng Arab, had cut through To the face the thick
bandaring which wrapped the head 1T the mummy,
and that the swathing bands, which ex-
tended in two or three piles from the head to the
feet, had been carelessly bundled up aud lodged
beside the shoulders. small piece Of gut wood,
rounded, and symbolical OF Eternity, was
found on the breast Of the indiyiins; a
large collection Of green beads, apparently VI
metal, was discovered az the head, and thre.
or o. Nrpf xaa
the former from the night side 0 The bedy, aud the
latter from the left The unrolling occupied nearly
two hours. The bandages we're Of linen, the
greater number being about three yards IA length,
and four inch,s in bfe idih, and having insertioa
and fringe AT one end. They were IT various tex
turt- some specimens about The chest as hne
muslin--and IN a state of remar kable preservation.
During tn, progress Of the unrohng. several peccs
~ linen taken from the shoulder Of the mummy
served, by various stamped insCriltols, 70 iisnutr
the individual with the collin, aud to point out hsr
parenisge, age, and circumstances Before tho
mummy had been completely uncovered, IL vas
discovered that p0t a tissue Of the body hung
tcgether-that the cntire tl-fh, aad almost all tns
boneF, weie completely pulrerized; add, when tho
last folda were removed, little else than A heap az
dust remained. The linen was not much injured;
the shrcOphagus add case were perisct; the hero
glyphcs were apparently resh-even The gods
were safe; but the Scngsure truth, Dust thod
art, and unto dust shal, thou return" Wa ului,-
takcably apparent in the totally decayta membrra
Of the individual itself Without touching on tns
Information 70 be communicated on Wednesdays
by Dr. Hincks, we Believe we are correct Va
stating that the result % the q, amin aon wall
show that The individual vas OF royal extraction -
pnncese, about forty years Of aike four feet eight
inches va height, aud rarity dSformed. that tho
bodr was preserved with bitum en-. aud u At least
400 years old--the oldest. sith one exce p'ion,
| ever unrollcd. We uuders,and, that upon the
| skull, vertebrp, and one or two Of the prnclpAl
homes oi the arms and legs the flesh and muscle-,
| upon which seem 10 have Undergone some remark
able changes in cs'nbi'Auon with the bi1anisn,
experiments Of an int Getting character are 10 bs
l made and that the re- Olts will he communicated
! on "Wednesday. after Sir James Emerson renneat
4 ehs II have stated nc circumstances uader which
| be obtained the 5immy, and DR.. Hincks shall
! have communicai "a The result Of his exaninatioi.