Mummies, Disease and Ancient Cultures [Hardcover]

Thomas Aidan Cockburn (Editor), Eve Cockburn (Editor), Theodore A. Reyman (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521580609 | ISBN-13: 978-0521580601 | Publication Date: May 28, 1998 | Edition: 2

To look upon a mummy is to come face to face with our past. This book presents the story of mummification as a practice worldwide. Mummies have been found on every continent, some deliberately preserved by use of a variety of complex techniques (as with the ancient Egyptians), others accidentally by dry baking heat, intense cold and ice, or by tanning in peat bogs. By examining these preserved humans, we can get profound insights into the lives, health, culture and deaths of individuals and populations long gone. The first edition of this book was acclaimed as a classic. This readable new edition builds on these foundations, investigating the fantastic new findings in South America, Europe and the Far East. It will be a must-have volume for anyone working in paleopathology and a fascinating read for all those interested in anthropology, archaeology, and the history of medicine.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book is a rich source for information on ancient diseases...Mummies Disease and Ancient Cultures achieves a good balance of detail with general facts, and it is well written, well illustrated, and well priced." Keith Dobney, Discovering Archaeology

"...this is impresively solid science and scholarship. The bibliographies are complete...This volume is very highly recommended indeed!" Bulletin of the History of Medicine

"The second edition of Mummies, Disease, and Ancient Cultures remains, just as with the first, a valuable resource to the professional and novice interested in mummy studies...Overall the edition is a success. It could be used for an introductory course on mummification practices or merely as a resource. It is not guaged to the novice, but the beginner and the professional should welcome it to their collection as a helpful nd highly informative edition to their library." SAS Bulletin

"The second edition of Mummies, Disease, and Ancient Cultures remains, just as with the first, a valuable resource to the professional and novice interested in mummy studies...Overall the edition is a success. It could be used for an introductory course on mummification practices or merely as a resource. It is not gauged to the novice, but the beginner and the professional should welcome it to their collection as a helpful and highly informative edition to their library." SAS Bulletin

Book Description

To look upon a mummy is to come face to face with our past. Mummies have been found on every continent, some deliberately preserved as in ancient Egypt, others accidentally by baking heat, intense cold, or tanning in peat bogs. By examining these preserved humans, we can get profound insights into the lives, health and cultures of individuals and populations long gone. This new edition is a fascinating account of mummification for all those interested in paleopathology, anthropology, archaeology and the history of medicine.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 424 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 2 edition (May 28, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521580609
• ISBN-13: 978-0521580601
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,067,200 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)