UAlbany Students Help to Unravel Mummy Mystery
Student-Run Five Quad Ambulance Service Transports 2,000-Year-Old Mummies to Albany Medical Center to Determine Genders
.jpg) |
|
Male or female? Only its X-rays know for sure. Five Quad Ambulance Service is helping the Albany Institute of History & Art to find out.
|
ALBANY, N.Y. (March 28, 2012) -- The University at Albany student-run Five Quad Volunteer Ambulance Service will transfer two Egyptian mummies that are each almost 2,000 years old, from their home at the Albany Institute of History & Art to Albany Medical Center (AMC) on March 31 at 10 a.m. to undergo X-rays and CAT scans.
Recent enhancements in X-ray technology will help verify the gender of the mummies, causes of death, lifestyle and mummification techniques. Drs. Robert Brier and Peter Lacovara, leading experts in Egyptology, will direct the procedures and review results.
The mummies will be featured in the Institute’s exhibition “GE Presents: the Mystery of the Albany Mummies: the Story of Ankhefenmut” slated for Sept. 21, 2013 - June 8, 2014. The mummies are one of the Institute’s most ancient assets and most popular draw. The mummies were purchased from the Cairo Museum and have resided at the Albany Institute since 1909.
The mummies will be transported by stretcher to the Five Quad Ambulance, under the supervision of Five Quad Director of Operations Max Weinstein ’13. The ambulance will be escorted by University Police to Albany Medical Center. Special permission had to be attained through the NYS Department of Transportation. Due to the delicate nature of the mummies, there will be two trips taken to transport the subjects to AMC.
The mummies’ transfer and examinations will be filmed for the documentary “The Albany Mummies: Unraveling an Ancient Mystery” by UAlbany Department of English faculty member Mary Valentis and retired English professor William Rainbolt. The film is supported by The University at Albany Foundation and is expected to make its debut in late 2012.
The Five Quad mummy transfer is a continuance of their ongoing efforts to give back to the community. Since 1973, Five Quad has strived to serve UAlbany students as well as the Albany community-at-large.
For more information on the exhibition or Institute visit http://www.albanyinstitute.org/.
For more news, subscribe to UAlbany's RSS headline feeds
A comprehensive public research university, the University at Albany-SUNY offers more than 120 undergraduate majors and minors and 125 master's, doctoral and graduate certificate programs. UAlbany is a leader among all New York State colleges and universities in such diverse fields as atmospheric and environmental sciences, business, education, public health,health sciences, criminal justice, emergency preparedness, engineering and applied sciences, informatics, public administration, social welfare and sociology, taught by an extensive roster of faculty experts. It also offers expanded academic and research opportunities for students through an affiliation with Albany Law School. With a curriculum enhanced by 600 study-abroad opportunities, UAlbany launches great careers.
