8 - El Museo de las Momias and the Day of the Dead

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El Museo de las Momias de Guanajuanto in Mexico has a collection of mummified bodies from the nearby Santa Paula Pantheon and surrounding graveyards with specimens over 140 years old. Due to a particular law in this region of Mexico, the families of the deceased had to pay an annual fee for the bodies of their relatives to stay in the graveyards. If for some reason the family could not pay the fee, then the body of the deceased was exhumed to make place for someone else. In exhuming the dead, the authorities found that certain bodies had been miraculously mummified. These mummies were stored in a building in the cemetery and when they started to attract large numbers of tourists, the Mexican authorities opened the Museo de las Momias which now holds over 100 mummies.

The most interesting aspect of this Mexican museum is the failure of scientists and archeologists to explain exactly why the bodies have been mummified. Unlike Egyptian mummies - who were purposefully embalmed to preserve the bodies of high ranking members of society - the exhibits in the Guanajuato museum were not preserved by human means.

Some scientists believe it is the chemical composition of the soil in the graveyards and Pantheon that has caused the mummification, whilst others uphold the theory of supernatural activity. Whatever the reason for this spectacular occurrence, visitors to the museum will be haunted by the contents of the museum, including the expressions on the faces of the mummies (as some are believed to have been buried alive and they therefore appear to be screaming) and the exhibitions of mummified babies.

To complete your 'supernatural' trip to Mexico, stick around for the two days after Halloween when the country celebrates the 'Days of the Dead'. This is a celebration to remember lost loved ones and typically involves visiting the graves of deceased friends and relatives, as well as eating the favourite meals of the departed and lighting candles in their honour.

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