197 HUMAN MUMMIFICATION PRACTICES AT ISMANT EL-KHARAB* By ARTHUR C. AUFDERHEIDE, MICHAEL ZLONIS, LARRY L. CARTMELL, MICHAEL R. ZIMMERMAN, PETER SHELDRICK, MEGAN COOK and JOSEPH E. MaLTa An estimated 169 inhumations were identified in 15 tomb chambers of the west cemetery at the Roman Period site of Ismant el-Kharab (Kellis) in Egypt's Dakhleh Oasis in the western desert. Of these, 50 were in the form of mummified human remains, about half of which represented deliberate, anthropogenic ('artificial') mummification. Comparison of mortuary practices with contemporary ones of the Nile Valley revealed some general similarities but also some exceptional differences. The most spectacular of these involved the production of composite mummies, prepared by using parts from multiple, different bodies, lashing them to a wood rack and wrapping the whole in such a manner as to resemble the external appearance of a traditional, single, mummified adult cadaver. THE efforts of G. Elliot Smith", F. Wood jones.? and others near the turn of this century have provided us with a base of knowledge regarding Egyptian mummification practices that helps to identify the development and progressive changes occurring over a period of more than three thousand years. While their observations are invaluable, their application to new findings is constrained by several features including their presentation as generalizations without detailed data on variations, their concentration on Egypt's elite class and their emphasis on the New Kingdom. Fortunately, the mummies excavated by Reisner's archaeological survey of Nubia in anticipation of the flooding effect of the higher Aswan Dam led to an understanding of qualitative and chronological similarities and differences in mummification in that geographic area compared with practices in Egypt.? However, if we focus on areas more distant from the Nile Valley, such as Egypt's '*' We are grateful to Dr A. J. Mills, Director of the Dakhleh Oasis Project, for his invitation to participate in this study. The invaluable assistance provided both in the field and the interpretative contributions later by Scott Fairgrieve, as well as the patient guidance through the archaeological literature and the personal knowledge of the site's archaeological details provided by Michael Birrell, are especially appreciated. Colin Hope's comments on the manuscript are gratefully acknowledged. Logistical conveniences shared by the Canadian Center made our Cairo visit infinitely more comfortable. Finally, we remain profoundly impressed by the excavation skills and daily kindnesses of Abdul Ghani, Anwar, Mahmoud and Mohamed Mustafa. We also are grateful for the helpful and constructive manner in which Ashraf el Tarabishi provided us with information about Egyptian excavation procedures to which we needed to conform. The authors are associated with the following institutions which they wish to thank for their assistance and cooperation. Arthur C. Aufderheide: Paleobiology Laboratory, University of Minnesota, Duluth School of Medicine, Duluth, MN. Michael Zlonis: Department of Pathology, St. Luke's Hospital, Duluth, MN. Larry L. Cartmell: Department of Pathology, Valley View Hospital, Ada, OK. Michael R. Zimmerman: Department of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Peter Sheldrick: 11 Victoria Avenue, Chatham, Ontario. Megan Cook: Department of Pathology, University Hospital, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada. Joseph E. Molto: Department of Anthropology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario. I G. Elliot Smith, 'A Contribution to the Study of Mummification in Egypt', MIE 5/1 (1906), 3-53. 2 G. Elliot Smith and F. Wood Jones, The Archaeological Survey of Nubia. Report for 1907-1908, II. Report on the Human Remains (Cairo, 1910). 3 G. A. Reisner, The Archaeological Survey of Nubia. Report for 1907-1908, I. The Archaeological Report (Cairo, 1910).