Back to Teacher View
Student View
Subscriber Only Resources
Access this article and hundreds more like it with a subscription to Storyworks magazine.
Learn More
Visitors at the Shanghai Museum in China look at an ancient Egyptian coffin. In ancient Egypt, mummies were placed inside these coffins. | Stringer - Imaginechina/AP Images
Mummy exhibits are a popular way to learn about the past.But is it disrespectful to display the dead?
By Mary Kate Frank, with reporting by Nicole Tocco
From the March/April 2023 Issue
Complexity Factors
-
Purpose
Arguments for and against publicly displaying mummies are presented.
-
Structure
The debate is structured as an article that introduces a hypothetical problem, followed by sections providing reasons and evidence to support each side.
-
Language
The language is mainly straightforward but includes some vocabulary related to mummies and to museums, such as coffin, tomb, everlasting life, exhibition, and on display. Quotations from three experts are included.
-
Knowledge Demands
No prior knowledge is required, but some knowledge of ancient Egyptian mummies will be helpful for understanding the article.
Lexile: 700L-800L, 900L-1000L
Guided Reading Level: S
DRA Level: 40
Standards
-
Common Core
Anchor Standards:R.1, R.2, R.8, W.1Grade 4:RI.4.1, RI.4.2, RI.4.8, W.4.1Grade 5:RI.5.1, RI.5.2, RI.5.8, W.5.1Grade 6:RI.6.1, RI.6.2, RI.6.8, W.6.1
-
TEKS
Grade 4:4.1a, c, d; 4.6f, g, h; 4.7a, b, c, g; 4.9e; 4.11; 4.12cGrade 5:5.1a, c, d; 5.6f, g, h; 5.7a, b, c, g; 5.9e; 5.11; 5.12cGrade 6:6.1a, c, d; 6.5f, g, h; 6.6a, b, c, g; 6.8e; 6.10; 6.11c
-
NCSS
1. Culture2. Time, continuity, and change
- The Story
- Resources
- Lesson Plan
See Student View
Select a Reading Level
600L-700L (same as magazine)
500L-600L
Reading Level
- 600L-700L (same as magazine)
- 500L-600L
Download and Print
Want to hear this story read aloud by a Storyworks writer? Find the audio read-aloud in your Resources tab.
Want to hear this debate read aloud by a Storyworks writer? Find the audio read-aloud in your Resources tab.
Want to hear this debate read aloud by a Storyworks writer?Click here!
Want to hear this debate read aloud by a Storyworks writer?Click here!
Thousands of years ago, an Egyptian man named Nesmin passed away. His body was carefully wrapped in strips of cloth and turned into a mummy. It was then placed in a painted coffin and sealed inside a tomb where it was meant to stay forever.
But that’s not how things turned out for Nesmin.
Since 2010, his mummy has been traveling the United States as part of an exhibition called “Mummies of the World.” Museum visitors can look through a glass case at Nesmin’s wrapped body. Some visitors are fascinated. Others are troubled.
For more than 100 years, mummy exhibits have helped teach people about ancient Egypt.But recently, many museums have started asking whether it’s disrespectful to put mummies on display. After all, they were once living people with families and friends, just like us.
Does that mean museums should stop displaying mummies?
Thousands of years ago, an Egyptian man passed away. His name was Nesmin. His body was wrapped in cloth and turned into a mummy. It was then placed in a painted coffin and sealed inside a tomb. It was meant to stay in the tomb forever.
But that’s not how things turned out for Nesmin.
Since 2010, his mummy has been traveling around the United States. It’s part of an exhibition, or show, called “Mummies of the World.” Museum visitors can look through a glass case at Nesmin’s wrapped body. Some visitors are fascinated. Others are troubled.
For more than 100 years, mummy exhibits have helped teach people about ancient Egypt.But lately, many museums have started asking: Is it disrespectful to put mummies on display? After all, they were once living people with families and friends, just like us.
Does that mean museums should stop displaying mummies?
Bringing History to Life
Bringing History to Life
Funky Food London - Paul Williams/Alamy Stock Photo
In ancient Egypt, pets were sometimes turned into mummies, like this cat, and buried with their owners so they could be together in the afterlife.
Studying mummies has taught researchers a lot about ancient Egyptians, including what they ate and what they did in their daily lives. Museum exhibits can help bring that history to life for visitors.
“Mummies draw attention to the past,” says John Norman, who helped produce the “Mummies of the World” exhibit.
Mummies also draw attention to the museums that display them. They canbring in thousands of visitors who might have otherwise stayed home. And once they’re at the museum, visitors can learn about important history that shouldn’t be forgotten.
It’s possible that ancient Egyptians may have been OK with having their mummies on display. They believed that life continued after death. And the point of making mummies was to preserve bodies for as long as possible, so they could be used in the afterlife.Some say that mummy exhibits are helping ancient Egyptians achieve the everlasting life they wanted.
“To have their bodies . . . visited and remembered was a very important part of ancient Egyptian beliefs,” says Peter Lacovara, who has studied some of Egypt’s most famous sites. Lacovara argues that museums are doing exactly what ancient Egyptians would have wanted.
Studying mummies has taught researchers a lot. It’s helped them learn about what ancient Egyptians ate and what they did in their daily lives. Museum exhibits can bring that history to life for visitors.
“Mummies draw attention to the past,” says John Norman. Norman helped create the “Mummies of the World” exhibit.
Mummies also draw attention to the museums that display them. They can bring in thousands of visitors. These visitors might have otherwise stayed home. At the museum, they can learn about important history that shouldn’t be forgotten.
Perhaps ancient Egyptians would have been OK with having their mummies on display. They believed that life continued after death. And the point of making mummies was to keep bodies for as long as possible, so they could be used in the afterlife. Some say that mummy exhibits are helping ancient Egyptians have the unending life they wanted.
“To have their bodies . . . visited and remembered was a very important part of ancient Egyptian beliefs,” says Peter Lacovara. Lacovara has studied some of Egypt’s most famous sites. He argues that museums are doing exactly what ancient Egyptians would have wanted.
Left Alone
Of course, no one can really know what Egyptians living thousands of years ago would have thought of mummy exhibits. But one thing’s for sure: Ancient Egyptians did all they could to protect mummies. They placed mummies inside tombs that were often hidden deep underground. Entrances were blocked with heavy stones.
This shows that mummy exhibits go against the wishes of the dead, says Heba Abd el Gawad, an expert on ancient Egypt. “They wanted their bodies left undisturbed,” she says.
Displaying mummies alongside old vases, jewelry, and weapons disrespects the dead in another way too: It treats them like objects. Abd el Gawad says it’s important to remember that “mummies are not things—they were humans.”
There are other ways to learn about ancient Egypt. We could study the objects ancient Egyptians left behind. We can also learn about them online and from books and documentaries.
Most everyone agrees that if mummies continue to be displayed, they should be handled with respect. At the “Mummies of the World” exhibit, Nesmin and other mummies are shown in dimly lit, quiet rooms.Taking photos isn’t allowed.
But is that enough? Or should mummies be kept out of displays in the first place?
Of course, no one can really know what Egyptians living thousands of years ago would have thought of mummy exhibits. But one thing’s for sure: Ancient Egyptians did all they could to protect mummies. They placed mummies inside tombs that were often hidden underground. Entrances were blocked with heavy stones.
This shows that mummy exhibits go against the wishes of the dead, says Heba Abd el Gawad. She’s an expert on ancient Egypt. “They wanted their bodies left undisturbed,” she says.
Displaying mummies next to old vases, jewelry, and weapons disrespects the dead in another way too: It treats them like objects. Abd el Gawad says it’s important to remember that “mummies are not things—they were humans.”
There are other ways to learn about ancient Egypt. We could study the objects ancient Egyptians left behind. We can also learn about them online and from books and TV shows.
Almost everyone agrees: If mummies continue to be displayed, they should be handled with respect. At the “Mummies of the World” exhibit, Nesmin and other mummies are shown in dimly lit, quiet rooms. Taking photos isn’t allowed.
But is that enough? Or should mummies be kept out of displays in the first place?
What Do You Think?
Should mummies be displayed in museums? Go back to the article andwrite down reasons to support each side of the argument. State your opinion in one sentence, which can be the topic sentence for an opinion essay on this subject.
What Do You Think?
Should mummies be displayed in museums? Go back to the article andwrite down reasons to support each side of the argument. State your opinion in one sentence, which can be the topic sentence for an opinion essay on this subject.
Yes! No!
What does your class think?
Do Mummies Belong in Museums?
Please enter a valid number of votes for one class to proceed.
Do Mummies Belong in Museums?
Please select an answer to vote.
Do Mummies Belong in Museums?
0%
0votes
{{result.answer}}
Total Votes: 0
Thank you for voting!
Sorry, an error occurred and your vote could not be processed. Please try again later.
This article was originally published in the March/April 2023 issue.
This article was originally published in the March/April 2023 issue.
video (1)
Slideshows (1)
Audio ()
Activities (6)
Skills Activities
Quizzes (1)
Answer Key (1)
Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
Download the Lesson Plan
Table of Contents
1. Preparing to Read
2. Reading the Debate
3. Discussing
4.Writing
1. Preparing to Read
Have students preview the text features. Ask:
- What is the topic of the debate?
- What do you think are the two sides of the issue?
2. Reading the Debate
Read the debate as a class or in small groups.Alower-Lexileversion is available on Storyworks Digital.
Have students read the debate a second time. Prompt them to mark the types of support the author presents to back up each side, including:
- Facts and statistics (F/S)
- Quotes from experts (Q)
- Stories or examples (EX)
3.Discussing
As a class or in groups, have students discuss:
- Which evidence is most effective in supporting each side?
- Is one side stronger than the other? Why?
- What is your opinion? What evidence do you find the most convincing?
- For more-advanced students:Do you think the author has a preferred point of view on this issue? What is your evidence?
4.Writing
Have students complete the chart in the magazine.
Distribute the activity “Write an Opinion Essay.” The lower-level version guides students to write a three-paragraph essay on the debate topic. The higher-level version prompts them to bring in additional evidence and write six paragraphs, including a rebuttal of the other side. With either version, hand out our Opinion Writing Toolkit, which offers writing tips and transition words.
Text-to-Speech