Mummies of Guanajuato: the sad story of the cholera epidemic in Mexico. Guanajuato Mummies Museum: Naturally Preserved Bodies (Mexico) Woman from Skrydstrup, Denmark

One of the most shocking museums is located in Mexico, in the city of Guanajuato. The main and only exhibits here are mummies.

Mummy- this is the body of a living creature, treated with a special chemical composition that slows down the process of decomposition or preserved through the process of self-mummification under certain environmental conditions.

The history of the creation of the museum of mummies

How did such a strange museum come about? It all started in the 19th century, when the city authorities introduced a burial tax. From that moment on, in order to be buried in the cemetery, the population had to pay a fee. Of course, the deceased could not pay for themselves; this responsibility was automatically transferred to the relatives of the deceased. But, as a rule, the payment was either simply not received, or the deceased had no relatives. The bodies were then exhumed. Imagine the surprise of gravediggers when they dig up not just a bunch of bare bones, but entire bodies, practically in perfect condition. Mystic? Not at all. It's all about the special structure and unusual composition of the soil, which created natural conditions for mummification.

The law was in effect for almost a hundred years. But this was quite enough to collect a rich fund for the future museum. The mummies were kept in a building next to the cemetery. Time passed, and this collection began to attract more and more tourists who were willing to pay to “admire” the terrible exhibits. This is how the Guanajuato Mummies Museum appeared.

Museum structure

In total, the museum has 111 mummies, but only 59 are on public display. But even this number is enough to scare some tourists. The museum begins with a small corridor lined on both sides with the most ordinary and unremarkable mummies. Each of them has preserved skin. Some of the dead are displayed in the clothes they were buried in. But then the exhibits become much more interesting. In the past, these were people of different classes. For example, there is a mummy in a leather jacket. Surprising, considering that a person lived in the 19th century, when there was no rock and motorcycles. In another room you can meet the mummy in full regalia: dress, jewelry. There is even a mummy with a waist-length scythe.

Angelitos

Even more interesting is the tradition of taking souvenir photos with dead children. This culture existed not only in Mexico, but also in many European countries in the 19th century.

In the museum of mummies you can see the mummy of a pregnant woman and her child - the smallest mummy in the world. No one will be indifferent to the room with mummies of people who died violent deaths: drowned men, a woman who fell into a lethargic sleep, a man who died from a blow to the head. Each pose makes it clear who died and how. Some mummies have preserved shoes. These are entire works of art from the ancient shoe industry.

Many would consider Mexicans to be a savage people who take death lightly. What causes horror and disgust in us is commonplace among them. Mexicans prefer to be friends with death. This is what our distant ancestors bequeathed. They even have a national holiday - “Day of the Dead”. For residents of Mexico, death is the most common occurrence. Maybe we should also take a simpler approach to life?

Address of the Mummies Museum in Guanajuato (Mexico)

Museo de las Momias de Guanajuato
Explanada del Panteón Municipal s/n,
Zona Centro, 36000 Guanajuato, Gto.

A mummy is the body of a living creature specially treated with a chemical substance, in which the process of tissue decomposition is slowed down. Mummies are stored for hundreds and even thousands of years, carrying the history of our ancestors, their customs and appearance. On the one hand, mummies look terribly scary, sometimes you get goosebumps from just one glance, on the other hand, they contain the most interesting history of the ancient world. We have compiled a list of the 13 most creepy and at the same time most interesting mummies ever discovered in the world:

13. Guanajuato Mummies Museum, Mexico

Photo 13. Guanajuato Mummies Museum - the exhibition displays 59 mummies that died in the years 1850-1950 [blogspot.ru]

The Guanajuato Mummies Museum in Mexico is one of the strangest and most gruesome in the world, housing some 111 mummies (59 of which are on display) that died between 1850 and 1950. Distorted facial expressions on some mummies indicate they were buried alive. Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit the museum every year.

12. Baby mummy in Qilakitsoq, Greenland

Photo 12. Mummy of a 6-month-old boy in Greenland (the town of Qilakitsoq) [Choffa]

Another example of a living burial - the photo shows a 6-month-old boy found in Greenland. Three more mummies of women were found nearby, perhaps one of them was the boy’s mother, with whom he was buried alive (according to Eskimo customs of that time). The mummies date back to 1460. Thanks to the icy climate of Greenland, clothing from that time was well preserved. A total of 78 pieces of clothing made from animal skins, such as seals and deer, were found. The adults had small tattoos on their faces, but the child's face was simply terrifying!

11. Rosalia Lombardo, Italy

Photo 11. 2-year-old girl who died in 1920 from pneumonia [Maria lo sposo]

Little Rosalia was only 2 years old when she died of pneumonia in 1920 in Palermo (Sicily). The saddened father commissioned the famous embalmer Alfred Salafia to mummify the body of Rosalia Lombardo.

10. Mummy with painted face, Egypt

Photo 10. A mummy from Egypt is presented in the British Museum [Klafubra]

When we think about mummies, the first thing that comes to mind is Egypt. Many films have been made featuring these preserved corpses, which, wrapped in bandages, come back to life to attack civilians. The photo shows one of the typical representatives of mummies (the exhibit is on display at the British Museum).

9. Christian Friedrich von Kalbutz, Germany

Photo 9. Knight Christian, Germany [B. Schroeren]

The photo shows the German knight Christian; an aura of mystery surrounds this scary look of the mummy.

8. Ramses II, Egypt

Photo 8. Mummy of the Egyptian pharaoh - Ramses the Great [ThutmoseIII]

The mummy shown in the photo belongs to Pharaoh Ramses II (Ramses the Great), who died in 1213 BC. and is one of the most famous Egyptian pharaohs. He is believed to have been the ruler of Egypt during the campaign of Moses and is represented as such in many works of fiction. One of the distinctive features of the mummy is the presence of red hair, symbolizing the connection with the god Set, the patron of royal power.

7. Woman of Skrydstrup, Denmark

Photo 7. Mummy of a girl 18-19 years old, Denmark [Sven Rosborn]

Mummy of a woman, 18-19 years old, buried in Denmark in 1300 BC. Her clothing and jewelry suggest that she belonged to the chief's family. The girl was buried in an oak coffin, so her body and clothes were surprisingly well preserved.

6. Ginger, Egypt

Photo 6. Mummy of an Egyptian adult [Jack1956]

The Ginger “Ginger” mummy is an Egyptian mummy of an adult male who died over 5,000 years ago and was buried in sand in the desert (at that time the Egyptians had not yet begun mummifying corpses).

5. Gullagh Man, Ireland

Photo 5. Gallagh Man Buried in a Swamp [Mark J Healey]

This strange looking mummy, known as Gallagh Man, was discovered in a bog in Ireland in 1821. A man was buried in a swamp wearing a cloak with a fragment of a willow branch around his neck. Some researchers believe he may have been strangled.

4. Man Rendswüren, Germany

Photo 4. Man bog Rendsvächter [Bullenwächter]

The Rendswühren bog man, like the bog man Gallach, was found in a bog, this time in Germany in 1871. The man was 40-50 years old, it is believed that he was beaten to death, the body was found in the 19th century.

3. Seti I – pharaoh of ancient Egypt

Photo 3. Seti I – Egyptian pharaoh in the tomb. [Underwood and Underwood]

Seti I ruled 1290-1279 BC. The pharaoh's mummy was buried in an Egyptian tomb. The Egyptians were skilled embalmers, which is why we can see them at work in modern times.

2. Princess Ukok, Altai

Photo 2. Mummy of Princess Ukok [
Perhaps everyone has seen some horror film at least once in their life in which the living dead attack people. These evil dead excite the human imagination. But in fact, mummies pose no danger, but have incredible scientific value. In our review, one of the most incredible archaeological finds of our time - the mummies of Guanajuato.

The Guanajuato Mummies are a collection of naturally mummified bodies buried during a cholera outbreak in Guanajuato, Mexico in 1833. These mummies were discovered in the city cemetery, after which Guanajuato became one of the main tourist attractions in Mexico. True, the attraction is very creepy.

Mummies in the Guanajuato Museum

Scientists believe the bodies were exhumed between 1865 and 1958. At that time, a new tax was introduced, according to which the relatives of the deceased had to pay a tax on a place in the cemetery, otherwise the body would be exhumed. In the end, ninety percent of the remains were exhumed because there were few people willing to pay such a tax. Of these, only two percent of the bodies were naturally mummified. The mummified bodies, which were kept in a special building in the cemetery, became available to tourists in the 1900s.

Mummy child

Cemetery workers began allowing visitors, for a few pesos, to enter the building where the bones and mummies were kept. The site was later turned into a museum called El Museo De Las Momias ("Museum of the Mummies"). A law banning forced exhumation was passed in 1958, but the museum still displays the original mummies.

Mummy hand from Guanajuato

The mummies of the Mexican city of Guanajuato are the result of weather and soil conditions under which mummification occurs. The bodies of deceased people who were not taken for burial by relatives often became public exhibits. During epidemics, bodies were buried immediately after death to prevent the spread of the disease. Scientists believe that some people were buried while still alive, and that is why the expression of horror was imprinted on their faces. But there is another opinion: facial expression is the result of post-mortem processes.

Mummy of Ignace Aguilar

Moreover, it is known that a certain Ignacia Aguilar was indeed buried alive. The woman suffered from a strange illness that caused her heart to stop several times. During one of the attacks, her heart seemed to stop for more than a day. Believing that Ignacia had died, her relatives buried her. When they exhumed it, it turned out that her body was lying face down, and the woman was biting her hand, and there was baked blood in her mouth.

Mummy from the Guanajuato Museum

The museum, which houses at least 111 mummies, is located directly above where the mummies were first discovered. This museum also houses the smallest mummy in the world - the fetus of a pregnant woman who became a victim of cholera. Some of the mummies are displayed wearing the preserved clothing in which they were buried. Guanajuato's mummies are a prominent part of Mexican folk culture, highlighting the national holiday "Day of the Dead" (El Dia de los Muertos).

But in real life they do not pose any danger, but are a most valuable archaeological object that can tell about the life and traditions of ancient people. If you are not afraid of meeting a mummy, then you should definitely visit the Guanajuato Museum in Mexico, which has collected more than fifty mummies under one roof.

One of the most shocking museums is located in Mexico, in the city of Guanajuato. You will never see living creatures there, because the main and only exhibits are mummies. Before we begin the story, let’s figure out who mummies are. A mummy is the body of a living creature, treated with a special chemical composition that slows down the decomposition process.

The history of the creation of the museum of mummies

How did the idea of ​​creating such a strange museum come about? Let's turn to history. It all started in the 19th century, when the city authorities introduced a burial tax. From now on, in order to be buried in the cemetery, the population had to pay a fee. Of course, the deceased could not pay for themselves; this responsibility was automatically transferred to the relatives of the deceased. But, as a rule, the payment was either simply not received, or the deceased had no relatives. The bodies were then exhumed. Imagine the surprise of gravediggers when they dig up not just a bunch of bare bones, but entire bodies, practically in perfect condition. Mystic? Not at all. It's all about the special structure and unusual composition of the soil, which created natural conditions for mummification.

The law was in effect for almost a hundred years. But this was quite enough to collect a rich fund for the future museum. The mummies were kept in a building next to the cemetery. Time passed, and this collection began to attract more and more tourists, who were even willing to pay to “admire” the terrible exhibits. This is how the Guanajuato Mummies Museum came into being.

Museum structure

In total, the museum has 111 mummies, but only 59 are on public display. But even this number is enough to scare some tourists. The museum begins with a small corridor lined on both sides with the most ordinary and unremarkable mummies. The most interesting thing is that each of them has preserved skin. Not as tender as a person’s, but the creature died long ago, he can be forgiven. Some of the deceased are displayed in the clothes they were buried in. But then the exhibits become much more interesting. In the past, these were people of different classes. For example, there is a mummy in a leather jacket. Surprising, considering that a person lived in the 19th century, when there was no rock and motorcycles. In another room you can meet the mummy in full regalia: dress, jewelry. There is even a mummy with a waist-length scythe. These are the exhibits.

But most horrifying is the tradition of taking souvenir photos with dead children. The museum even displays photographs that will make your hair stand on end. In the next room you can see the mummy of a pregnant woman and her child - the smallest mummy in the world. No one will be indifferent to the room with mummies who did not die a natural death. There you can meet drowned people, a woman who fell into a lethargic sleep, and a man who died from a cranial injury. Each pose makes it clear who died and how. Some of them even had their shoes on. These are entire works of art from the ancient shoe industry.

And in conclusion

Many would consider Mexicans to be a savage people who take death lightly. What causes horror and disgust in us is commonplace among them. Mexicans prefer to be friends with death. This is what our distant ancestors bequeathed. They even have a national holiday - “Day of the Dead”. For residents of Mexico, death is the most common occurrence. Maybe we should also take a simpler approach to life?

There are many cities that are famous for their museums. The tiny town of Guanajuato is also world famous. But there are no ancient artifacts or famous paintings in it. The exhibits of this museum are dead people. And it is located in the local cemetery of Santa Paula...

The town of Guanajuato is located in Central Mexico, 350 kilometers from the capital. In the mid-16th century, the Spaniards recaptured these lands from the Aztecs and founded Fort Santa Fe. The Spaniards had every reason to hold on tightly to the town: the land was famous for its gold and silver mines.

Where metal is mined

Before the Aztecs, the Chichimecas and Purépechas lived here and mined precious metals; the name of their town was translated as “the place where metal is mined.” Then the Aztecs came, established gold mining on an almost industrial scale and renamed the town Cuanas Huato - “the abode of frogs among the hills.” During the Columbus era, the Aztecs were replaced by the Spaniards. They built a powerful fortress and began to mine gold for the Spanish crown. By the 18th century, the gold in the mines was depleted, and silver began to be mined. The town was considered rich. Spanish settlers built it to overshadow the beauty of their native Toledo. And they succeeded - beautiful cathedrals, palaces, tall fortress walls. The city, located in a green valley, climbed the “frog hills”; the streets going up were built like stairs - with steps. The palaces, however, were adjacent to tiny houses, clinging to the hillsides, one above the other. It was heaven for the rich inhabitants of Novaya - and hell for the poor. All these poor people worked in the mines. Most of the poor dreamed of throwing off the colonial yoke. This was achieved by the middle of the 19th century. Mexico gained independence. A new time and a new order have begun. However, it turned out that the rich have not disappeared. The poor still worked in the mines. Taxes continued to rise. And since 1865, local gravediggers introduced an annual payment for a place in the cemetery. Now, if no payment was received for burial within 5 years, the deceased was removed from the crypt and placed in the basement. Inconsolable relatives could return the body to the grave... if they paid the debt. Alas, not everyone could do this! The first victims of the new law were dead people who had no relatives. Next are the insolvent dead. Their bones lay in the basement until the enterprising owners of the cemetery began to show their dead compatriots to everyone. Of course, secretly and for money. And then - it’s no longer secret. Since 1969, the cemetery basement was converted and received the status of a museum...

Scary exhibits

There were a lot of dead people to be expelled from the crypts. But not all “exiles” were awarded a place in the museum. There were a little more than a hundred of them. And the reason for placing these dead people in the glass display cases of the museum was non-trivial: during their stay in the crypt, the bodies of the dead did not disintegrate, as dead flesh should, but turned into mummies. These were mummies of natural origin - after death they were not embalmed or anointed with special compounds, but were simply placed in a coffin. And if what usually happens to corpses happened to the majority of the dead, then these bodies naturally became mummified.

The first exhibit is considered to be the once quite wealthy deceased, Dr. Remigio Leroy. The poor fellow simply had no relatives. It was dug up in 1865 and given the inventory number “storage unit 214.” The doctor even still wore a suit made from expensive fabric. The suits and dresses on other exhibits were either almost not preserved or were confiscated by museum workers. According to one of them, the things gave off such a smell that no sanitation would help. So most of the decayed clothes were torn off the corpses and destroyed. That is why many of the dead appear naked before curious tourists. True, the socks and shoes of some of them were not removed - the shoes did not suffer so much from time to time.

Among the exhibits there are those who died during the cholera epidemic in 1833, there are those who died from occupational diseases of miners who inhaled silver dust every day, there are those who died of old age, there are those who died as a result of an accident, there are those who were strangled, there are those who drowned. And among them there are much more women than men.

Scientists were able to identify a few exhibits. Among them is a woman with her hands pressed to her mouth, her shirt pulled up and her legs spread apart. This is Ignacia Aguilar, a completely respectable mother of the family. The strange pose is simply explained by many: at the time of burial, Ignacia was in a deep faint or fell into a lethargic sleep. She was probably buried alive. The woman woke up already in the coffin, scratching its lid, screaming, trying to escape from captivity. When she began to run out of air, she tried to rip her own mouth out of pain. Blood clots were found in the mouth. Scientists are going to examine the substance extracted from under her nails: if it turns out to be wood or the lining of a coffin, then the terrible guess will be confirmed.

The fate of another museum exhibit, also a woman, is no less sad. She was strangled. There is still a piece of rope around her neck. According to museum legend, the head of an executed man on display belongs to the strangler husband.

Another interesting exhibit on display is a screaming woman. This mummy's mouth is open, although his hands are folded on his chest. Faint-hearted people, when they first see a screaming mummy, recoil in fear. Despite the calm position of the hands, the facial expression of this exhibit is such that even some experts suspect that the woman was also buried alive...

Pharaoh's son and others

However, distorted facial features and mouths open in a silent scream are not always an indicator that a person was buried alive. There is a well-known story that happened in 1886 with Egyptologist Gaston Maspero. He discovered the mummy of a young man with his hands and feet tied, his face contorted, probably in pain, and his mouth wide open. In addition, the mummy was nameless and wrapped in sheep skin, which is uncharacteristic for. The archaeologist decided that the unfortunate man was buried alive. The terrible expression on his face suggested that the conspirator was not even mummified. However, nowadays forensic scientists scanned the body and found all the signs of mummification. Consequently, he was not buried alive. And the terrible expression on his face is due to the fact that this is most likely the eldest son of Pharaoh Ramses III, worthy of oblivion, who was allowed, after an unsuccessful attempt on his father’s life, to commit suicide with poison.

But an open mouth may not at all indicate terrible torment. Even a peacefully deceased person can receive the terrifying expression of a “silent scream” if the deceased’s jaw is poorly tied. The Mexican museum exhibits at least two dozen mummies with “screaming” mouths. Among them there are men, women, and even children.

The bulk of the Guanajuato mummies, of which there are 111, are not only 200, but not even 150 years old. These are the youngest mummies to arise naturally. Only a few children, the so-called “angels,” have traces of post-mortem intervention - internal organs were removed from them. In general, the bodies mummified themselves. In the 19th century, when the first such bodies were found, the question “why” did not arise in people’s minds. The mummified remains were looked at with reverence - it was considered a miracle and evidence of a sinless life. But these days, scientists still decided to solve the mystery.

It is known that the mummified bodies were not buried in the ground. All of them were in crypts, going to the cemetery in “floors”. The crypts are made of limestone. The town of Guanajuato is located at an altitude of 2 kilometers above sea level, its climate is hot and dry. The scientists' conclusion is this: mummification is not related to the lifestyle of the dead, nor to age, nor to nutrition, but depends purely on the time of year when the body was placed in the crypt, and on the design of the crypt. If the burial took place in dry and hot weather, lime slabs reliably block the access of air and perfectly absorb moisture coming from the body. Inside such a crypt it is dry and hot, like in an oven. The body in such a “house of death” dries well and very soon turns into a mummy. True, this process does not always have a beneficial effect on facial expression - the muscles also dry out, tighten, facial features are distorted, and the slightly open mouths become distorted and gape in a desperate silent scream.