Imagine breaking into an ancient tomb, marked with the seal of an Egyptian king who died three thousand years ago. A treasure trove of precious artifacts lies waiting in the dark -- but we now realize that even more valuable is the mummy inside. Shelley Tanaka takes us back in time to the lives of the people whose bodies were preserved as mummies. Why were the bodies so carefully preserved? What can we learn about life thousands of years ago from the mummified bodies? How can knowledge about ancient peoples help us to better understand ourselves? From the rituals for preserving human bodies to the most up-to-date technology used to study the mummies, this fascinating book provides intriguing details and a personal look at the livesof the people whose remains have survived the millennia. For anyone who has ever shivered at stories of the mummy's curse, or been dazzled by stories of great cultures of long ago, this book is as essential as it is enlightening.