Egyptian experts to help conserve mummy in Hyderabad museum
Saturday, 01 August 2009, 16:09 IST
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Hyderabad: Expert assistance from Egypt is finally on its way to conserve an Egyptian mummy dating back to 2,500 BC at a museum here. The mummy, believed to be of Nasihu, daughter of sixth Pharaoh of Egypt, is on display at the Andhra Pradesh State Archaeological Museum here since 1930 but is now decaying. A two-member team from the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), Egypt, will visit Hyderabad for conservation of the mummy. The department of archaeology and museum of Andhra Pradesh has long been seeking foreign assistance to restore the mummy, one of the six in Indian museums and the only one in south India. Tarek El Awdy, head of the research department at the SCA, and Sama Mohamed El Marghani, director general of Treatment of Biological Damage at SCA, will first make an assessment of the work needed to be done for preservation of Nasihu's embalmed body. The SCA is part of the Egyptian ministry of culture and responsible for the conservation, protection and regulation of all antiquities and archaeological excavations in Egypt. Tarek El Awdy is also the general supervisor of the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. According to P. Chenna Reddy, director of archaeology and museum, the linen bandage of the mummy would be replaced. The experts will also replace the existing material stuffed inside the mummy with scientifically treated cotton foam material. The crust of the embalmed body, lying in an airtight enclosure, is fragmenting at the face, shoulders and around feet. The wrapping has started to peel off and the cracks are very conspicuous at several places. The mummy was brought by Nazeer Nawaz Jung, son-in-law of Mir Mehboob Ali Khan, the sixth Nizam or ruler of then Hyderabad State around 1920. He gifted it to the seventh Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan, who donated it to the museum in 1930. The museum located in the Public Gardens in the heart of the city was then known as Hyderabad Museum but after the merger of Hyderabad State with the Indian Union was renamed the State Archaeological Museum. The department of archaeology and museum had earlier sought expert help from the British Museum to restore the mummy but the latter had turned down the request saying it cannot spare its conservators for the job.
Source: IANS
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