« Momies, les chemins de l’éternité »

Some are from Egypt, of course. Others are from Asia, Africa, America, Europe or the Pacific. Many of the mummies at this big exhibition in Draguignan have never been on public display before.

Par Mathilde Hingray

People have always been fascinated by mummies. They are symbols of eternal life. Scientists are just as interested and have learnt a great deal about them. “They reveal the universal desire to keep the body intact and protect it from decay,” says Philippe Charlier, forensic doctor, archaeological anthropologist and curator of the exhibition. More than 350 items have been brought together thanks to lenders in France and elsewhere including the Musée du Quai Branly, the Louvre and Museum Silkeborg. As well as human and animal mummies there are relics, objects connected with mummification and funerary customs, and photographic evidence. It all sheds light on representations, customs and the uses to which mummies have been put in daily life. “The exhibition explores the metaphysical background to mummification and the methods used. There is an immersive exhibit showing the unwrapping of a mummy. Other remarkable items include the remains of the heart of Richard the Lionheart and a foot of Tollund Man, who was contemporary with Socrates,” says Philippe Charlier. The exhibition also spotlights scientific progress in reconstituting bodies. And lastly, the show looks at the mummy as a source of inspiration from the nineteenth century on. This part includes film extracts that will please anyone who likes strong emotions.

Jusqu’au 25 septembre 2022
Hôtel départemental des expositions du Var
1 boulevard Maréchal Foch, Draguignan
Tél. 04 83 95 34 08
www.hdevar.fr