Mummies: A Strange Science Book

by Funston, Sylvia

• ISBN13: 9781894379045
• ISBN10: 1894379047
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-10-01
• Publisher: Maple Tree Pr

Summary

What is a mummy? It's an old, dead body that's refused to rot. To qualify as a mummy, a dead body must have at least its bones, skin and hair, and it has to look like a human being.Mummies have been found all over the world, and in some of the strangest places on earth. Egyptian mummies are the most famous, but preserved bodies have also been found in peat bogs in England, on the mountain tops of the Andes, in deserts in China, even on Mount Everest!Some mummies died naturally, others were sacrificed to their gods. Nature has been preserving bodies longer -- and often more successfully -- than humans have. And throughout history, for certain cultures, preserving dead bodies has been an important part of their belief system. No matter how these mummies came to be, they all have fascinating tales to tell of life in another time and place. Their remains reveal much about how they lived -- and died.Did You Know: When the mummy of King Ramses II flew from Cairo to Paris he traveled with a passport? His occupation was listed as 'King (deceased).' This entitled him to a guard of honor and a ceremonial salute at the airport. Under the city of Palermo, Italy, there lies a City of the Dead. If you lived in Palermo 100 years ago, you would have visited your dead relatives there. You'd have found their dried-out bodies laid in coffins, dressed in their funeral clothes. The preserved body of famous mountaineer George Leigh Mallory was discovered on Mount Everest in May, 1999. In 1924, Mallory and his climbing partner attempted to reach the top of the mountain. Did his mummified body hold evidence that they had made it?With just the right dose of gruesome details and mesmerizing facts, Sylvia Funston's gripping text introduces readers to some of the most famous -- and not so famous -- mummies. Readers will learn how different sorts of mummies are made, how dead bodies tell tales, and even how to make your own mummy at home! Other sections include 'Ask a Mummy' and 'The Mummy Timeline.' Incredible photographs and witty illustrations round out this Strange Science adventure.

Author Biography

An accomplished writer and former editor of Owl magazine, Sylvia Funston has a keen sense of what young readers want to read about. She explored the science of fear in Scary Science (1996), which has been shortlisted for the 1999 Red Cedar Book Award, and co-authored A Kid's Guide to the Brain (1994) with Jay Ingram, which won the Children's Book Award from the Canadian Science Writers' Association of Canada. Her most recent books include explorations into animal behavior in Animal Feelings (1998,) and Animal Smarts (1997).

Table of Contents

Dead Serious	4	(2)
Stop the Rot!	6	(2)
The Iceman	8	(2)
A Chinese Riddle	10	(4)
Bog Bodies	14	(2)
Juanita, the Inca Ice Maiden	16	(2)
Activity: Mummy Trekking	18	(2)
Snow Mummies	20	(2)
Animals Have Mummies, Too	22	(2)
The Chinchorro Mummies	24	(2)
It's a Wrap!	26	(2)
Activity: Make a Mini-Mummy	28	(2)
The Mummy's Tomb	30	(2)
Valley of the Golden Mummies	32	(2)
Ask a Mummy	34	(2)
Mummies Telling Tales	36	(2)
Mummies Through the Ages	38	(2)
Index	40