Sep 22 2024 17 mins
The 1800s had plenty of odd trends, but the height of strangeness might just be “mummy mania.” Prized as souvenirs, medicine, and even fodder for making paper, mummies in the 19th century were seen as tools for unlocking the secrets of ancient civilization. And this morbid practice was widespread, to the tune of 180,000 mummies being auctioned off a ship to passersby. But how did we end up with such a creepy and obviously outrageous trend? Why did people have such a disregard for ancestors and animals? And maybe most important, where were all the scientists? Further Listening: Our sister podcast, Distillations, recently explored the historical roots and persistent legacies of racism in American science and medicine including how the study of human remains intersects with race. Check out 2023’s Innate: How Science Invented the Myth of Race season to learn more.