MUMMIES OF THE PHARAOHS, a breathtaking new exhibition on the Royal Mummies of Ancient Egypt, explores the ancient Egyptian way of death and the pharaohs' quest for immortality. From the first sand dried mummies of over 5000 years ago to the amazing unwrapped Royal Mummies of some of the most famous Egyptian pharaohs and nobles, buried in once treasure filled tombs. MUMMIES OF THE PHARAOHS has recreated them and brought them together in one exhibition.

The exhibition starts at the very beginning of mummification and highlights predynastic burial techniques with a facsimile of Ginger a sun dried 'mummy' who was buried in a small pit at Geblein at about 3200 BC. His body, which was perfectly dried by the action of hot dried sand, is extremely lifelike and well preserved. An early dynastic reed burial from Tarkhan illustrates the ancient Egyptians' advances in technology as they attempted to artificially reproduce the naturally sand dried bodies, such as Ginger. The subsequent trial and error approach to mummification resulted in the first true mummies.

The mummies in the exhibition have been re-created using an amazing new scientific technique. This technique enables 'clones' to be made of some of the best known Egyptian pharaohs, which are kept restricted even in Egypt. This allows them to be seen by the general public while the original mummies are carefully preserved under perfect conditions. Mummies of the Pharaohs explores the gods and rituals of ancient Egypt including the amazing rites of the dead. Exhibits include funerary furniture & sculpture, mummy cases & masks, amulets, ushabtis, and animal mummies. Highlights of the exhibition are the mummies of Seti I, Ramses the Great and Princess Nesitanebasher.

Seti I,was a great warrior king of the 19th dynasty who died c.1304 BC. He was the father of Ramses the Great, one of the best known pharaohs of the New Kingdom. Ramses is thought to be the pharaoh who ruled Egypt during the time of the Biblical Exodus. Princess Nesitanebasher, was Priestess of Amun and daughter of King Pinudjem II is of the 21st dynasty (c.950 BC). Her mummy is probably one of the best preserved and is a masterpiece of Egyptian embalming.

MUMMIES OF THE PHARAOHS has been created by the same team which created the Tutankhamun Exhibition in Dorchester, an exhibition which has received wide spread acclaim. With the inclusion of Ancient Egypt in the National Curriculum, the exhibition has become a must for schools, a wonderful resource to which children can relate.