Manchester Museum has removed the mummified remains of Asru, a woman who died around 650 BC, from public display after more than 200 years. Curators stated the decision aligns with an understanding of Asru's wishes, as elite Egyptians of her era likely expected their mummified bodies to remain undisturbed and unseen.
Asru's body was donated to the Manchester Natural History Society in 1825 and subsequently unwrapped and put on display in the museum's Egypt and Sudan gallery. The museum consulted with Egyptian colleagues, members of the diaspora, and visitors before making the change. The decision reflects an evolving understanding of the museum's responsibility toward ancestors and the communities represented by its collections.
Asru, believed to be the daughter of a Sudanese man named 'Pa-Kush' and a temple musician, was approximately 60 years old when she died. Her remains were unearthed in Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes, before being acquired by Manchester traders in the early 1800s.
Last year, the museum had already prompted visitor reflection by adding a plaque detailing the history of Asru's display since her unwrapping in 1825. The plaque noted the museum's changing approach to caring for human remains.
Following the removal, Asru's coffin and body are being kept in storage while the museum considers whether to return them to Egypt. The move occurs amidst a broader ethical debate about the display of mummified human remains. Inscriptions on Asru's coffin suggest she was a chantress at the ancient Temple of Amun in Karnak.
Mummification was an ancient Egyptian practice of preserving a body, typically wrapping it in linen strips. Asru was the last mummy to be exhibited at the Manchester Museum.
This practice has come under increased scrutiny. In 2020, the Pitt Rivers Museum removed mummies and shrunken heads, citing concerns that exhibiting human remains reinforces racist and stereotypical thinking and is part of a decolonization effort. A report from the all-party Parliamentary Group for Afrikan Reparations in the UK has also called the display of human remains unethical, alleging that many were looted from Egypt and subjected to racist research. The report advocates for the return of all human remains held by British institutions to their countries of origin to aid in healing from colonial trauma.
Institutions such as the British Museum, Natural History Museum, and various universities have been implicated in the acquisition of these remains, which are sometimes described as trophies or commodities. The report highlights instances where mummified individuals were brought to the UK for pseudoscientific research, including attempts to support the idea that ancient Egyptians were white Europeans.
In recent years, some institutions have altered their terminology. The British Museum announced in 2023 it would use the phrase "mummified remains" instead of "mummy" out of respect. The Great North Museum: Hancock and National Museums Scotland have also adopted similar terms like "mummified person" to acknowledge colonial exploitation and humanize the individuals on display. These museums emphasize that while "mummy" is not incorrect, "mummified person" encourages visitors to consider the individual, especially in light of the word's association with horror imagery in popular culture.