Spitzmaus

This is the object that provided the name for the exhibition curated by the filmmaker Wes Anderson and his partner Juman Malouf. Open until April 28th (2019) in Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, it is entitled “Spitzmaus Mummy in a Coffin and other Treasures.”

Animal mummification originated in ancient Egypt. They mummified various animals. It was an enormous part of Egyptian culture, not only in their role as food and pets, but also for religious reasons. They were typically mummified for four main purposes—to allow beloved pets to go on to the afterlife, to provide food in the afterlife, to act as offerings to a particular god, and because some were seen as physical manifestations of specific gods that the Egyptians worshipped. Archaeologists have discovered catacombs filled with literally millions of mummies of different species:  ibises, crocodiles, insects, mice, shrews, and many more.

See you tomorrow!

P.S. Read more about the outstanding exhibition here!