02/10/2024
Mummies Are So Rare Because Europeans Ate Many of Them:
It's known as "medical cannibalism."
In medieval Europe, a bizarre and gruesome practice emerged where people consumed parts of mummified bodies, mistakenly believing they possessed medicinal properties.
This practice, known as medical cannibalism, was sparked by a mistranslation of the word "mumia." Originally, mumia referred to a valuable substance found on a Persian mountainside used for various medical treatments.
However, as Europeans began translating Arabic texts, they erroneously linked mumia to embalmed bodies in Egyptian tombs, partly due to some mummies being preserved with similar substances.
As a result, people across Europe began consuming mummy powder, believing it to be a potent cure for various ailments such as headaches, stomach issues, and even more serious conditions like cancer. This led to a booming trade in Egyptian mummies, with tombs being ransacked not just for treasures, but for the bodies themselves. Apothecaries ground up mummies and sold the powder as a remedy, and when the demand for authentic mummies exceeded supply, enterprising grave robbers and tradesmen began creating counterfeit mummies.
They used the bodies of recently deceased people, including those of criminals and enslaved individuals, embalming them and passing them off as genuine ancient mummies to unsuspecting buyers.
Despite growing skepticism, the fascination with mummies persisted into the Victorian Era, where unwrapping parties became popular social events in Britain. Although the medicinal use of mumia faded by the late 19th century, the allure of ancient Egyptian culture endures, still influencing modern products and marketing, particularly in the beauty industry.