Mummies may not literally rise from their ancient tombs and attack, but they're quite real and have a fascinating history.

A mummy is a person or animal whose body has been dried or otherwise preserved after death. When people think of a mummy, they often envision the early Hollywood-era versions of human forms wrapped in layers upon layers of bandages, arms outstretched as they slowly shuffle forward. Mummies may not literally rise from their ancient tombs and attack, but they’re quite real and have a fascinating history.

Generally telling tales of forbidden love, terrible curses, eroticism and death, mummy flicks have entertained generations of spectators.

Why this fascination for Egyptian corpses?

Enter Egyptomania

It all started in the 19th century. In 1822, the French scholar Jean-François Champollion, who’d been awed by Egypt since Napoleon Bonaparte’s 1798 military campaign there, cracked the mystery of Egyptian hieroglyphics, and the whole world became fascinated with this ancient North African civilization.

Egyptomania reached its peak with the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb, in 1922, in the Valley of the Kings. When Lord Carnarvon, the wealthy British amateur Egyptologist who had funded the excavation of the tomb, died the following year, the Western press was quick to spread the rumour of a fatal curse that would kill all European archaeologists associated with the expedition.

Thus a legend was born that one of the quickest ways to end up cursed is to break into a Mummy’s tomb.

Mummy fever

Films clearly engender and play on a fear of mummies and their ancient curses

Ancient Egyptians developed the art of embalming cadavers to ensure eternal life. Mummification was performed by special priests. Typically, in the process of mummification, all the internal organs were removed except the heart because the ancient Egyptians believed that heart is where the soul resides. The cavities were then filled with chemicals and spices to prevent any bacteria from growing and the body was then left covered in salt to become dry. After 40 days, the priests would wrap the body in linen bandages while chanting spells. After the process is done, a mask was put over the head of the mummified body so that it can be recognised in the afterlife.

Only the heart, necessary for the deceased to be resurrected in the afterlife, was kept in its place. Is it any surprise, then, that other leaders with dreams of reigning eternal should want their bodies to be embalmed, too?

When Alexander the Great died in 323 BC, his mummy was placed in a mausoleum at the centre of Alexandria, the city he founded, and worshipped. Luminaries such as Julius Caesar and Augustus visited to his tomb.

The communist era also saw its share of mummifications too. Joseph Stalin and Chairman Mao were both embalmed, and Lenin’s mummy, on display in Moscow’s Red Square, is considered a sacred relic. A team of scientists maintains and retouches it so frequently that the 147-year-old leader actually seems to be getting younger.

All of this has proven irresistible for filmmakers.

In 1932, Universal Pictures made the first major mummy film in cinematic history, The Mummy. Directed by Karl Freund, The Mummy features the inimitable Boris Karloff, who had played Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein the year before. As the undead Im-Ho-Tep, Karloff’s make-up was inspired by the head of Pharaoh Seti I. It was Boris Karloff’s portrayal of the mummy, that made mummies mainstream monsters.

In 1999, the studio produced a remake of their 1932 blockbuster, The Mummy, directed by Stephen Sommers, and released its sequel The Mummy Returns in 2001. Both were major hits.

Vintage Dell comic book: "The Mummy".

1:6 scale (12 inch) action figure from the 1999 movie "The Mummy".

Custom coffin box for the Mummy and G.I. jANE.

G.I. jOE could use a fellow archaeologist on his adventures Maybe this custom desert/jungle theme G.I. Jane by customizer Mike Cherry.

This 1970's Geyperman tent would be a great accessory for a desert theme adventure.

The actual unbroken seal on King Tutankhamun's tomb.