The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1886-08-13
STRIPPING THE MUMAllES
OLD KING RAMESES III. AS HE APPEARED
WHEN UNBANDAGED,
Curious Trappings Unwrapped from Egypts
Ancient Rulers Thousands OF Years After
Death-Appearance Of the Features.
H., Professor Maspero's Discoveries. -,

The following is verbatim translation
of Prof. Nlaspero's lust official report as
Director. General of the Excavations and
Antiquities of Egypt dated June 8, his
resignation having been rendered on
June 5:
. The year 1886, the list day of June,
corresponding with the 2Sth day of
Sha'ban, in the year 1903 of the Hegira,
at 9 o'clock i'll the morning. In the
presence of the Khedivc, his Ministers
and aides-de-camp and of Sir Henry
Drummond Wolff, the British High
Commissioner, NM, CASTOR Maspero,
Director General of the Excavations and
Antiquities of Egypt, Emil Brugsch Bey,
keeper, and Urbin Bouriant, assistant
keeper of the Museum OF Boulak. pro-
ceeded in the hall called "The Hall of
Royal Mummies to unbandage those
two mummies which in the printed cata-
logue are numbered 5, 900 AID 5, 1888, both
being among those discovered in the
subterraueous hiding place at Dayr-el-
Bahari
The mummy (No. $3.50 first taken
out from its glass case is that of
Rameses H., Sesostria, as testified by the
official entries bearing date the sixth and
sixteenth years of the reign of the High
Priest Her-hor Te-Amen and the High
Priest Pinotem l., written in black ink
=; e 4
and the further entry of the sixteenth
year of the High Priest Pinotem L
written upon the outer winding sheet
of the mummy over the region of the
breast. The presence of this last
inscription having been verified by His
Highness the Khedive, and by the
illustrious personages there assembled,
the FIRST wrapping was removed, and
there were successfully discovered
band of stuff (sic) twenty centimetres in
width rolled round the body; then o
second winding sheet sewn up and kept
in place by narrow bands at some dis.
lance apart; then two thicknesses of
small bandages; and then piece of fine
linen reaching from the head to tho feet.
A figure representing the Goddess
Nut one metre in length, is drawn upon
this piece Of linen, in red and white, as
prescribed by the ritual. The profile of
the goddess is Enthusiastically designed af-
ter the pure and delicate profile of Seti
I, as he is known to US in the bas.relief
sculptures of Thebes and Abydos. I'm.
del, this amulet there was found another
bandage; then layer of pieces of linen
folded in squares and spotted with the
bituminous matter used by the ernbalm-
ers. This last covering removed, Rame-
ses IL appeared. The head is long, and
and small in proportion to the body.
The top of the skull is quite bare On
the temples there are few sparse hairs,
but at the poll the hair is quite thick,
forming smooth, straight locks about five
metres in length. White at the time of
death, they have been dyed light yell
lowby the spices used in embalmment.
The forehead is low and narrow; the
brow-ridge prominent; the eyebrows are
thick and white; the eyes are small and
close together. The temples are sunk
en-; the cheekbones very prominent;
the ears round standing far out from
the head, and pierced like those of o
woman for the wearing of earrings. The
jawbone is massive and strong the chin
very prominent; the mouth small but
thick-lipped, and full of some kind of
black paste This paste being partly cut
away with the scissors disclosed some
much worn andvery brittle teeth, which.
moreover, are white and we'll preserved.
The mustache and beard are thin. They
seem to have been kept shaven during
life, but were probably allowed to grow
during the kings last illness, or they
may have grown after DEATH The hairs
are white, like those of the head and
eyebrows, but are harsh and bristly. and
from two to three MILL metres in length.
The skin is of earthly brown, splotched
with black. Finally it may be said the
face OF the mummy gives fair idea of
the face of the LIVING king. The ex.
preston is intellectual, perhaps slightly
animal; but even under the somewhat
grotesque disguise of naturalization,
there is plainly to be seen an air of SOW
ereign m~jesty. of resolve and pride.
The rest of the body is as we'll preserved
as the head, but in consequence of the
reduction of the tissues it's external ap-