Book excerpt: This compelling historical and cultural look at mummies proves that fact can be just as fascinating as fiction.This companion volume to a much-anticipated exhibit traveling the U.S. starting in 2010 features seventy mummies from a variety of cultures and geographical sites, including Asia, Oceania, South America, and Europe as well as ancient Egypt. It reveals the wide variety of processes our ancestors used to preserve the bodies of the dead-not just in the desert sands but in ice, on grassy moors, and even basement rooms. Nearly thirty scientific essays bring together the latest findings in the fields of forensic research, archaeology, anthropology, and biology. With dignity and reverence, and with outstanding photographs and illustrations, this volume communicates the unspoken secrets that mummies can tell us. ILLUSTRATIONS 180 colour illustrations