2,000-Year-Old Mummy with Preserved Organs

The mummy of Mrs. Tan Truy, currently exhibited at Hubei Museum, features soft skin and blood still flowing in her veins.

2,000-Year-Old Mummy with Intact Organs at Hubei Museum

In 1971, construction workers in Hubei stumbled upon the tomb of a woman, her husband, and son. The tomb was so grand that excavation took nearly a year with over 1,500 local volunteers. The mummy was later identified as Mrs. Tan Truy or Great Lady Tan, wife of a marquis who ruled this region around 2,200 years ago during the Han Dynasty.

Upon excavation, Mrs. Tan Truy's tomb contained over 1,000 precious artifacts such as gold and silver statues, a collection of silk garments, cosmetics, musical instruments, lacquerware, and intricately crafted household items.

Willow Weilan Hai Chang, director of the China Institute in New York City, stated that these artifacts indicate Mrs. Tan Truy once lived a luxurious life and desired for everything to remain unchanged in the afterlife.

Unique Burial of Mrs. Tan Truy, Wrapped in 18 Layers of Silk

The autopsy of Mrs. Tan Truy was conducted in December 1972, revealing her age of 50. Despite facial distortion, the mummy's skin remained soft and lacked signs of muscle stiffness. Remarkably, her limbs could still bend and extend. Scientists determined Mrs. Tan had blood type A from remnants in the trachea, and all internal organs were intact.

Mrs. Tan Truy's body boasts the most comprehensive autopsy record among ancient mummies. Scientists reconstructed details of her lavish diet, lifestyle habits, as well as hunting, food production, and processing methods from over 2,000 years ago.

In her lifetime, Lady Tan often enjoyed aristocratic delicacies such as venison, lamb, and fruits. Consequently, her petite frame succumbed to obesity, requiring her to walk with a cane. Sedentary habits also led to arteriosclerosis, diabetes, and other spinal conditions. The presence of watermelon seeds in her stomach indicated she consumed this fruit just 2 hours before her death.

The excavation of the marquis' family tombs was regarded as one of the major archaeological discoveries of the 20th century. The mystery of why her body could resist decay while those of her husband and son, buried in similar airtight environments, did not, remains unsolved.

Today, Mrs. Tan Truy's mummy is exhibited at the Hubei Museum. Visitors can also marvel at 180,000 other artifacts here, including bronzes from the Shang and Zhou dynasties, pottery, porcelain, calligraphy works, and paintings from various periods.

Hubei Museum is located at 50 Dongfeng Road, Kaifu District, Sansha City, Hubei Province, China. Visitors can reach here by bus numbers 131, 112, 146, 150, 58, 113, 901, 136, and 203.

Hubei Museum opens from 9 am to 5 pm on weekdays, except Mondays and Lunar New Year's Eve. Visitors can book free tickets through the museum's website or ticket gate with their passports. Some special exhibitions may cost around 30 yuan (approximately 100,000 VND).

Children under 12 must be accompanied by parents. The museum strictly prohibits guests from bringing inflammable, explosive, dangerous substances, food, and drinks. Additionally, visitors are not allowed to film, take photos, or use flashlights in the museum.

According to Lan Huong/ Vnexpress

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Reference: Travel Handbook Mytour