Controversy Erupts In Mexico After Museum Staff Accidentally Break Arm Off 19th-Century Mummy

A controversy has erupted in Mexico after a 19th-century mummy was allegedly mishandled by museum staff in Guanajuato, Mashablereported. The arm of one of the mummies came off during recent renovations at the museum where the mummified bodies are on permanent display, The National Institute of Anthropology and History, INAH said. The corpses were reportedly buried in the early 1800s and were dug up in the 1860s.

The incident has now sparked a dispute between Mexico’s federal archaeology agency and the state government of Guanajuato over the treatment of the country’s mummified bodies.

”These events confirm that the way the museum’s collection was moved is not the correct one and that far from applying proper corrective and conservation strategies, the actions carried out resulted in damages, not only to this body,” the institute wrote in a statement.

”It appears that this situation is related to a lack of knowledge about proper protocols and the lack of training of the personnel in charge of carrying out these tasks,” it continued.

As per PTI, the preserved corpses were unintentionally mummified when they were buried in crypts in a dry, mineral-rich soil environment in the mining state of Guanajuato. Some still have their leathery skin, hair, and original clothing intact.

The institute has now demanded an accounting of what permits and procedures were followed during the museum renovations, citing a lack of knowledge and training among the staff. 

INAH believes it has jurisdiction over the mummies because it says they are “national patrimony,” and Guanajuato considers them a tourist attraction. Because of the alleged mishandling, the institute is pushing for greater involvement in the care and display of the 100 mummies in the museum controlled by the Guanajuato government.

Notably, a mummy is a person or animal whose body has been dried or otherwise preserved after death. The practice of preserving a body as a mummy is widespread across the globe and throughout time.