ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on three methodological advances that have stimulated mummy research: biogeochemistry and isotope analyses, paleoimaging, and paleogenetics. It provides the foundation for discussing whether or not these methodological advances are facilitating the development and exploration of new research questions. The analysis and interpretation of isotopic ratios have become a fairly standard tool in bioarchaeology. Isotopic analyses are commonly employed in the reconstruction of mobility and residence and diet-related behaviors. The tissues most commonly used in stable isotopic research on mummified remains are bones, teeth, and hair, with only a few studies actually using soft tissue for stable isotopic analyses. Paleoimaging technologies are commonly used tools in mummy studies. The chapter provides a brief summary that should provide the reader with a basic understanding of the technology as well as the pros and cons of different modalities. The applicability of magnetic resonance imaging to mummy studies seemed limited except in relatively rare instances of ‘wet’ mummies.
