Curiosities and wonders

By mid-nineteenth century, mummies and Egyptian artifacts were still considered to be great curiosities. Although the Pasha had forbid exports of these things in 1835, people who traveled to the Near East often managed to bring things home as souvenirs. When the U.S. Sanitary Commission needed to raise money for their relief efforts during the Civil War, fairs were held in order to attract visitors who would pay money to see the various articles of interest people had acquired--many of them unusual curiosities that they would not have an opportunity to see at any other time and place.

An unknown Miss Murray has manage to collect some Egyptian antiquities for this particular fair, although what the items are is not listed. It is rather frustrating to not know anything further about these pieces or their provenance.

Mrs. Lober (also unknown) is showing off "Egyptian wheat." More likely than not, this is wheat from the wrappings of a mummy. It would have been placed there by the ancient embalmers as a symbol of resurrection. Popular intelligence at the time considered that such grain, planted in the present day, would grow and prosper. Another popular item found with Egyptian mummies andsupposedly revived were lily bulbs.

Mrs. Dr. Robinson steals the Egyptian portion of the exhibition with an entire, real mummy. From whence it came and how cannot be told, but it was probably acquired during a trip to the Near East, as evinced by some of the other objects loaned by the doctor's wife. The provenance must remain a mystery. But there is no doubt that people were very interested in seeing this among all the other things at the fair.