ABSTRACT
The fields of mummy studies and bioarchaeology were both crystalizing during the early 1970s. Though they shared key events and personnel, they ultimately followed different trajectories. This chapter discusses the history of the disciplines, both areas of intersection and divergence, and highlights the potential for more fully integrating the problem-orientated biocultural perspective. Bioarchaeology is the contextualized analysis of human remains and encompasses a range of research perspectives diverse in emphasis and scope. The history and development of mummy studies is intimately tied to the history and development of paleopathology by scholars and methods derived from the biomedical sciences. The history of mummy studies is dominated by two features: the World Congress on Mummy Studies and multidisciplinary mummy projects. Multidisciplinary research teams have been a key aspect of the field since the first Manchester Mummy Project in 1908, and they have become something of a staple in modern era of mummy studies.
