Scientists open mummy's coffin in Chicago
The mummified body of Minirdis, a 14-year-old Egyptian boy, and his burial mask lie exposed after J.P. Brown and his team of curators at the Field Museum opened his coffin for the first time, Dec. 5, 2014.
Brown and his team will begin conservation work on the 2,500-year-old boy before it becomes part of a traveling exhibition. Brown says they have to fix the burial mask, shroud, reconnect the mummy's detached feet, and do work to shore up the coffin and mummy so they can withstand travel.
Opening a mummy's coffin
P.J. Brown, Regenstein Conservator at the Field Museum, examines the burial mask on the mummified body of Minirdis, a 14-year-old Egyptian boy who was the son of a priest, Dec. 5, 2014.
Opening a mummy's coffin
A team of scientists open the coffin containing the mummified body of Minirdis, a 14-year-old Egyptian boy who was the son of a priest, Dec. 5, 2014.
Opening a mummy's coffin
P.J. Brown, Regenstein Conservator at the Field Museum, describes what a CT scan reveled about the mummified body of Minirdis, a 14-year-old Egyptian boy who was the son of a priest, Dec. 5, 2014.
Opening a mummy's coffin
P.J. Brown, Regenstein Conservator at the Field Museum, describes the conservation process that will begin for the coffin and mummified body of Minirdis, a 14-year-old Egyptian boy, Dec. 5, 2014.
Opening a mummy's coffin
Egyptian hieroglyphics etched on top of a 2500 year-old Egyptian coffin identify the mummy's name and lineage, Dec. 5, 2014.
Opening a mummy's coffin
Richard Lariviere, left, President and CEO of the Field Museum, gives visiting students from Liberty Intermediate School in Bourbonnais, Ill., an impromptu, up close look at the mummified body of Minirdis, a 14-year-old Egyptian boy who was the son of a priest, Dec. 5, 2014.
Opening a mummy's coffin
The mummified body of Minirdis, a 14-year-old Egyptian boy, lies exposed after a team of curators at the Field Museum opened his coffin for the first time, Dec. 5, 2014.
Opening a mummy's coffin
The mummified body of Minirdis, a 14-year-old Egyptian boy, his exposed toes, and burial shroud with gold painted toenails lie exposed in his opened coffin, Dec. 5, 2014.
Opening a mummy's coffin
The toes of the mummified body of Minirdis, a 14-year-old Egyptian boy, lie in his opened coffin after J.P. Brown and his team of curators at the Field Museum opened the coffin for the first time to begin a conservation process, Dec. 5, 2014.
Brown says they have to fix his burial mask, shroud, reconnect his detached feet, and do work this week to shore up the 2,500 year-old coffin and mummy so they can withstand travel in an upcoming exhibition.