AP: Egyptian expert to save 4,500-year-old mummy

An Egyptian antique and conservation expert arrived in Hyderabad to give a new life to a 4,500 year old mummy at the Andhra Pradesh State Museum, as the time and weather have taken a huge toll on its figure.

Dr Tareq-al-Awady from the Supreme Council of Antiques in Cairo, soon after landing in Hyderabad on Thursday morning, visited the museum to have a first look at the mummy, believed to be of a 16 to 18-year-old girl.

Dr Tareq, who was accompanied by the state tourism and culture minister Dr J Geeta Reddy and senior officials from museum and the archaeology department, spent some time examining the mummy. He observed that the lower part of the mummy was in much worse condition and cracks had appeared all over its body.

"It will take another four to six days of inspection to reach some conclusion on what needs to be done to repair the mummy," he said adding that he need to bring chemical and special equipment to do the job.

The 2500 BC mummy was brought to Hyderabad in 1927 by a noble of Nizam's court and presented it to 7th Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan as a gift. The Nizam presented it to the Museum for the public display. "It was purchased for 1000 pounds at the time," a museum official said.

However, it was taken off from the public view in view of its worsening condition and the state government officials were making efforts to rope in some experts from Egypt for the last 15 years to repair and restore it.

Later Dr Awady also met the Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy at the state secretariat and discussed his plans for the repair of the mummy.

Image: Dr Tareq-al-Awady inspects the 2500 BC mummy in Hyderabad on Thursday

Pic: Snaps India