Jersey Mummy
Encyclopedia
In 1835, John Gosset from Jersey
, Channel Islands
, took an expedition to Thebes, Egypt
, and returned with various artifacts and a mummy
(the Jersey Mummy). Unfortunately, he died on the way back in Paris
. His father, Isaac Gosset, took over, and brought the mummy to Jersey, where it was housed in a museum in Belmont Road, Saint Helier
, along with other Egyptian artifacts, and some Roman and Greek ones as well.
The mummy was dated to around 1069-945 BC, the time of King Amunoph III
. It was thought to be that of a high priestess, but in 1837, it was carefully unwrapped, and found to be that of a middle aged man, early 40s, about 5ft five in.
The museum later closed around 1850, and artifacts were returned to people who had given them for show. Isaac Gosset being dead, the mummy went to a new owner (who the records do not name), presumably the next of kin in the family. He obviously did not care much for a mummy being deposited at his house, because the next we hear about the matter, it is of the mummy having been burnt to ashes somewhere in Longueville, Jersey.
There are a few artifacts left, and these can be seen in the display case at La Hougue Bie
, Jersey in the archaeology museum there.
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
, Channel Islands
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
, took an expedition to Thebes, Egypt
Thebes, Egypt
Thebes is the Greek name for a city in Ancient Egypt located about 800 km south of the Mediterranean, on the east bank of the river Nile within the modern city of Luxor. The Theban Necropolis is situated nearby on the west bank of the Nile.-History:...
, and returned with various artifacts and a mummy
Mummy
A mummy is a body, human or animal, whose skin and organs have been preserved by either intentional or incidental exposure to chemicals, extreme coldness , very low humidity, or lack of air when bodies are submerged in bogs, so that the recovered body will not decay further if kept in cool and dry...
(the Jersey Mummy). Unfortunately, he died on the way back in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. His father, Isaac Gosset, took over, and brought the mummy to Jersey, where it was housed in a museum in Belmont Road, Saint Helier
Saint Helier
Saint Helier is one of the twelve parishes of Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands in the English Channel. St. Helier has a population of about 28,000, roughly 31.2% of the total population of Jersey, and is the capital of the Island . The urban area of the parish of St...
, along with other Egyptian artifacts, and some Roman and Greek ones as well.
The mummy was dated to around 1069-945 BC, the time of King Amunoph III
Amenhotep III
Amenhotep III also known as Amenhotep the Magnificent was the ninth pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty. According to different authors, he ruled Egypt from June 1386 to 1349 BC or June 1388 BC to December 1351 BC/1350 BC after his father Thutmose IV died...
. It was thought to be that of a high priestess, but in 1837, it was carefully unwrapped, and found to be that of a middle aged man, early 40s, about 5ft five in.
The museum later closed around 1850, and artifacts were returned to people who had given them for show. Isaac Gosset being dead, the mummy went to a new owner (who the records do not name), presumably the next of kin in the family. He obviously did not care much for a mummy being deposited at his house, because the next we hear about the matter, it is of the mummy having been burnt to ashes somewhere in Longueville, Jersey.
There are a few artifacts left, and these can be seen in the display case at La Hougue Bie
La Hougue Bie
La Hougue Bie is a historic site in the Parish of Grouville, Jersey. Hougue is a Jèrriais/Norman language word meaning a "mound" and comes from the Old Norse word haugr. Bie is of uncertain origin...
, Jersey in the archaeology museum there.
Sources
- Jersey Heritage Report mentioning return on Mummy artefacts to Hougue Bie
- Museum Display Case, Archaeology Section, Hougie Bie, Jersey