The
primary goal of both taxidermy and virtually all forms of intentional
mummification is the preservation of the skin of the deceased individual.
Depending on the specific cultural context, the techniques of mummifying a
human body may vary, but in general, the skin is treated in some way in order
to prevent its destruction. This can also involve the removal of internal
tissues or skeletal elements, such as in the creation of the tsantsas of the
Shuar, which involves emptying the human cranium completely of any soft tissues
and skeletal pieces, boiling and treating the remaining “pouch” of human head, and
refilling the treated skin and sewing it together. In order for the successful
creation of a taxidermied figure, all internal matter of the animal corpse must
be removed, with the treated hide of the animal draped over an artificial model and/or skeletal elements and shaped into place with stuffing.
Because
the taxidermied figures are generally manufactured for display, realistic
depiction is the primary goal. A piece of taxidermy is generally considered
successfully produced if the corpse in question closely resembles the animal in
life. Great pains are taken to disguise the stitches and marks of manufacture,
as well as any trace of the death of the animal. In most cases of mummification,
however, the individual is not preserved for the purposes of display, and so
realism is not considered in the production of the mummy. The cultural context
determines why and how a human being is mummified, varying depending on the
group. The ultimate goal of all instances of both taxidermy and intentional
mummification, regardless of culture, is the preservation of animal or human remains, respectively, through treatment of at least the skin of the deceased.
The
circumstances of death can differ between taxidermy and mummification. Human
beings selected for the mummification process generally were not killed for the
purpose of the creation of a mummy (see the
Mummifaction: Conquest blog post
for a discussion about instances when the individual was killed for the purpose
of mummy production due to European contact). This may be the case for
taxidermy as well; if a beloved pet has passed or the intact body of a wild
animal is found in adequate condition, the owners or researchers may choose to
send the corpse to a taxidermist for processing. Particularly in the case of
large and exotic game hunting, however, the individual may be killed
specifically for the creation of trophies of the expedition. Candidates for
taxidermy are selected based on species, aesthetic appeal and condition of the
hide after capture. The selection of an individual for intentional
mummification may be based on cultural factors such as status, wealth, kinship,
and so on; generally physical morphology is not taken into account.
The
utility of the mummies and the taxidermied figures differs as well. Whereas
mummified remains are treated to some extent as sacred, because of the identity
of the individual in life or the beliefs about death and power structures of
the community, products of taxidermy are largely seen as commodities, objects
of collection or of trade to other collectors. In some parts of the world, due to
colonial expansion into Indigenous areas, mummified human remains were viewed
by settling groups as souvenirs, devoid of any social or spiritual element, and
European peoples began accumulating mummified remains as though they were
equivalent to taxidermied trophies, keepsakes to memorialize the colonizer’s
journey. This speaks to the colonial era European mindset more than to
Indigenous beliefs and functions of the mummies, but is an important aspect of
their history nonetheless.
-Amina Chergui
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