Book Description

Eternal Remains: World Mummification and the Beliefs that make it Necessary provides an overview of mummification, but it concentrates on the reasons behind the act. It investigates the justification for preserving dead bodies, and in so doing, probes the true nature of both life and death. Many think of these as two distinct concepts, like day and night, but they are not distinct. Day fades into night, and night then returns to day. There are realms in which night and day merge, such as dusk and dawn. Perhaps the relationship between life and death is similar. After explaining the natural processes of decay and how they are halted, various mummies in different parts of the world are introduced. In the Americas, these include snow- and ice-preserved bodies in Montana and Alaska, and some controversial finds in other states. The Guanajuato mummies in Mexico and the strangely-preserved bodies in San Bernardo, Columbia are also introduced, alongside new translations of modern reactions to such bodies. The mummification techniques of cultures in Central and South America are also delineated, including Incan sacrificial ceremonies and the preservation of Incan kings. Unusual preservations in South America include the Chancay practice of turning the deceased into drums, which were played during special ceremonies, and the Jívaro method of shrinking heads. In addition, Eternal Remains introduces to the English-speaking world the recently discovered world's smallest mummy, Ichiknuna. Chapters about European mummies cover the so-called Frankenstein mummies of Cladh Hallan and fantastically preserved bog bodies, which provide evidence of ancient murders and superstitious customs. The mummies in Ferentillo, a small town north of Rome in the region of Umbria, were strangely preserved by the soil's chemical composition. Eternal Remains contains many pictures of these mummies, which have not been previously published. It also provides new information about what happened to King Tutankhamen's body after it had been embalmed and placed into a sarcophagus, and it explains the amazing discovery of cocaine, nicotine, and hashish in nine different 7,000-year-old Egyptian mummies. Since mainstream historical understanding holds that these substances only existed in the Americas at the time, the discovery is forcing some scholars to consider the possibility of cross-oceanic trade, which would force a historical rewrite. Other controversial finds are likewise presented in this text, including the discovery of advanced, ancient Caucasian bodies in China. This book is one of few in English to cover Buddhist mummification in Tibet and China, and the amazingly self-mummified monks in Japan. Newly translated information about some of these monks, never before published in English, is included in this book, alongside pictures of the monks who engaged in this suicidal practice. Eternal Remains also explains modern methods of conservation. The reasons behind the worldwide desire to mummify are similar, and by investigating the techniques and the underlying beliefs that necessitated the practice, one can more clearly see just what makes us human. This study forces readers to reflect upon the true nature of life and death, and connections are made between the spiritual portion of each individual and other natural phenomena. They are led to ponder the ultimate significance of it all. The final conclusions formed are sure to inspire all, providing a new way to consider death and its relationship to life. Eternal Remains combines a study of mummification with comparative religions, and an analysis of worldwide beliefs about the nature of death. It will open one's eyes to new possibilities concerning human advancement, anomalous archaeological discoveries, and the greatest mysteries of both life and death.