Baltimore: The American Dime Museum
at
1808 Maryland Avenue has an unusual assortment of mummies on display.
According to museum volunteer, Ellen Garrity, these include:
Night’s
Little One
(19th Century): A
mummy of "an unknown demon,” otherwise called "Devil Man." Wrapped in garbage bags, the mummy has the appearance of the
devil: horns, teeth, and...evil--well,
make that we-evils, for the Devil Man mummy is infested with the little
bugs.
Dwarf
Mummy
(date unknown): Found
in Mexico, this is an excellent
example of natural mummification in extremely dry heat.
Theatrical
Mummy: om
the famous A. T. Jones Costumers of Baltimore.
Sand
Mummies:
Sand
mummies are of unknown tribal origin but are found periodically in arid
regions throughout the world. These
male and female midget specimens are two such examples.
Another prominent sand mummy has been erroneously dubbed “The
Thing” and appears as a roadside attraction in Arizona.
Peruvian
Amazon:
Over
one thousand years old and over nine feet tall, this huge woman died and was naturally mummified
in the cold, dry atmosphere of the
Andes
Mountains
of
Peru. She still wears the remains of her native clothing (and sandals). The 9’2” giant also retains her original display box. (This
is a Nelson Supply Company sideshow mummy.)
Egyptian
Mummy
from The Third Millennia: Im-Ho-Tation
& His Transparent Glass Wand
The museum also exhibits a
two-headed calf, and "Fivey," the beagle with five paws. For an extra treat, you can
also see the Lincoln Coprolite, supposedly the last bowel movement
President Lincoln had (salvaged from a privy at Ford's Theater). However,
scientific analysis has revealed that this coprolite is not Lincoln's (for
it contains the residue of some Necco Wafers--these were not available
until some 20 years after Lincoln's death).
Admission to the American Dime Museum in $5 for adults, $3 for
children ages 6-12, no charge for children under 6 - provided they are
well-behaved!
Thank
you, Ellen! And for more information about the Dime Museum, you can visit
its web site.
