Lake Superior Railroad Museum - Duluth

Drove the 9 plus hours to Duluth, MN to visit the Lake Superior Railroad Museum. Some of the photos from the trip:

 

late 19th Century US Army

More artifacts from the War Memorial in Indianapolis.

Diorama of Egyptian mummification (part 4)

Part four of the diorama showing the Egyptian mummification process.

"Over two months have passed since the embalmers began their work.

The mummy is finally ready to go to the burial site with mourning relatives and the priests who will restore its human senses during the burial service.

Depending on the wealth and importance of the deceased, a huge entourage, including priests, paid mourners, and musicians and dancers, might accompany the mummy. Of course, not all burials were this fancy. With a simply mummification and burial service, even a poor person was assured eternal life."

Diorama of Egyptian mummification (part 3)

Mummification diorama part 3:

"Bandaging the mummy is a difficult job. 

After washing, oiling and perhaps stuffing the body, the embalmers separately wrapped each finger and toe. Priests oversaw the placement of protective amulets and pronounced the proper prayers at each new step. As much as 400 yards worth of linen strips were used to completely wrap the body.

The internal organs were separately wrapped in special jars, called Canopic jars, to be buried with the mummy. After giving the body a protective coat of hot liquid pine resin, the embalmers might further adorn it with a face mask and additional jewelry before placing the body in its coffin."

Diorama of Egyptian mummification (part 2)

Second vignette of the mummification process on display at the Field Museum.

From the diorama:The body and its organs are dried in mounds of natron.

This naturally occurring combination of baking soda and other salts absorbs water and is mildly antiseptic. The drying took about 40 days. Fluids from the body were absorbed, or dripped off the slanted tables. 

Keeping scavenger animals and insects away must have been difficult. Sometimes we find evidence of insects or even rodents in the wrappings of less carefully prepared mummies.

Diorama of Egyptian mummification (part 1)

Took the kids to the Field Museum in Chicago. I am truly impressed with this diorama that is part of the Egyptian display. Maybe 54 mm in scale.

For the first vignette: 1: The Embalmer's Art - We imagined that these scenes are of a large embalming workshop of Dynasty 21, about 1085 B.C. As more and more people were mummified, the process must have become more like an assembly line. This period was the last before a decline in the embalmer's art took place beginning in Dynasty 22.

The first task is to remove the internal organs. Prayers would be said while the necessary incision on the left side of the abdomen was made, and the person who made the cut was may have been ritually cursed and chased away for having done it.  

After the intestines, liver, lungs and stomach were removed, the body cavity and the organs were washed. The cavity might then be stuffed with straw or linen to help it hold its shape while drying.

Indiana War Museum - Architectural Models

Indiana War Memorial. Among the artifacts on display are some architectural models.

The Soldiers and Sailors Monument. Located in the center of the city, it's a lovely focal point. Lady Victory is facing due south to keep eternal vigilance over the old Confederacy. The surrounding buildings around the monument are, by ordinance, shorter than the monument so as not to diminish its glory. 

The USS Indiana BB-1

Memorabilia associated with the USS Indiana on display at the Indiana War Memorial.

Indianapolis War Memorial

Went to the Indiana War Memorial.  General John Pershing laid the cornerstone of the memorial on July 4, 1927, saying he was "consecrating the edifice as a patriotic shrine".

Indiana War Memorial

This is the Shrine Room, built to honor the veterans of World War I.  It is clad in materials from all of the allied countries.

Shrine Room