Mummy in Mexico Has Fungal Growths That May Infect Visitors

The mummy of a baby in the museum. (CC BY SA 4.0 )

A travelling display of mummies from the 1800s in Mexico could pose a health risk, warn Mexican government and health experts. This display contains a corpse that appears to have fungal growths that could spread out of control if it transmits to museum visitors.

The corpses had been buried in crypts in dry, mineral-rich soil in Guanajuato, Central Mexico, which unwittingly acted as a catalyst for their immaculate preservation. The so-called Guanajuato mummies were dug up from the 1860s onwards because their families could no longer pay burial fees and they were later put on display. They are now one of the most popular tourist attractions in the region.

A mummy found in the Mummy Museum in Guanajuato, Mexico. (Public Domain)

A mummy found in the Mummy Museum in Guanajuato, Mexico. (Public Domain)

Biohazard

The mummy in question is among half a dozen corpses in glᴀss cases at a tourism fair in Mexico City. The federal insтιтute, National Insтιтute of Anthropology and History (INAH), has distanced itself from this state government decision, adding that they’ve not been consulted about this decision, reports The ᴀssociated Press.

“It is even more worrisome that they are still being exhibited without the safeguards for the public against biohazards. From some of the published pH๏τos, at least one of the corpses on display, which was inspected by the insтιтute in November 2021, shows signs of a proliferation of possible fungus colonies,” the insтιтute wrote. “This should all be carefully studied to see if these are signs of a risk for the cultural legacy, as well as for those who handle them and come to see them.” The experts did not elaborate on what type of fungal growths they were referring to.

Several of the mummies in the Mummies’ Museum, Guanajuato, Mexico. PH๏τo source: Russ Bowling/ CC BY 2.0

Several of the mummies in the Mummies’ Museum, Guanajuato, Mexico. PH๏τo source: Russ Bowling/ CC BY 2.0

The Museo de las Momias, which has more than 4,000 visitors a week, charges tourists £2 to view more than 100 dried human cadavers, all of which have been disinterred from graves in the cemetery next door. Behind flimsy glᴀss cabinets, the museum displays murder victims, criminals who were buried alive, and infants laid to rest dressed up as saints — a Mexican belief that it will ease their pᴀssage to heaven.

These mummies have gone for a trip before – when they were displayed in the United States in 2009. A nasty rumor follows those who’ve died, namely that those who died were buried alive or died in a cholera outbreak, but this is yet to be proved, according to a Daily Mail report.

While the exhibition of preserved corpses may be intriguing to some, it is crucial to ensure that proper safety measures are in place to protect both the public and the cultural heritage represented by these mummies. In this case, the potential presence of fungal growths on one of the mummies raises concerns about possible health risks, and it is essential that the situation is carefully studied and monitored to prevent any potential spread of pathogens.

The mummy of a baby in the museum. (CC BY SA 4.0 )

The mummy of a baby in the museum. (CC BY SA 4.0 )

Guanajuato Mummies: Wrapped in History

The Museo de las Momias de Guanajuato opened in 1969 to house the mummies. They are arranged in different sections according to their age, gender, and cause of death. Some of the mummies are even posed in lifelike positions, such as a mother holding her child, adding to the eerie and fascinating atmosphere of the museum.

The mummies have become a major tourist attraction in Guanajuato, with visitors coming from all over the world to see them. The museum has also become a popular subject for pH๏τographers, filmmakers, and artists, and the mummies have even been featured in movies and TV shows.

 

 

The display of human remains is a controversial issue, and some people argue that it is disrespectful to the deceased. However, the museum has taken steps to ensure that the mummies are treated with respect and dignity, and visitors are asked to observe certain rules and regulations when visiting the exhibition.

Related Posts

Making the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Speak: Scientists Plan to Recreate the Voice of Otzi the Iceman

Italian scientists are attempting to give Ötzi the Iceman a voice. By using CT scans of his throat and the tissue around his voice box, the researchers…

2,500-Year-Old Tattooed Ice Princess Wears Fur to Go on Public Display at Next New Moon

By The Siberian Times reporter An ancient mummy preserved by permafrost is dressed up for her debut 21st century appearance despite calls for solemn reburial from native peoples….

Boris Johnson’s Mummified Ancestor Died from Pathogen, Not the STD Syphilis

New research reveals Boris Johnson’s mummified Swiss ancestor did not die of syphilis, as has long been believed, but of an unknown pathogen. In 1787, at 68 years…

New Tomb Discovered in Turkey! (Video)

This amazing discovery would be incredible and historic enough just by virtue of the fact of its being located in Turkey and suggesting that Queen Neferтιтi fled…

Scientists Solve the Mystery of the Alpine Mummy

For centuries, the unusually well-preserved body of an 18th-century clergyman has been the subject of local legends, speculation, and mystery. According to local lore, the body of…

Incan ‘princess’ mummy aged 8 ‘STOLEN from tomb’ 200 years ago finally laid to rest – but experts can’t crack mystery of her true idenтιтy

A RARE well-preserved mummy of a young Incan girl is being returned to its native homeland of Bolivia. The 500-year-old mummy nicknamed ‘Princess’ is notable for having…