Mummies Discovered in a Tomb at Château des Milandes, Dating Back to the 16th-17th Century.
According to Heritage Daily, the recent discovery of mummies at Château des Milandes has astonished researchers, as this is the first instance of such a ritual associated with ancient Egyptian culture identified in 16th-17th century Europe.
Château des Milandes, also known as Milandes Castle, is an estate featuring a stately and modern castle for its time—constructed around 1489—in Castelnaud-la-Chapelle, Dordogne, France.
The estate served as a residence for local lords and includes a chapel and several other ancillary structures.
The central architecture of Milandes Castle is significantly more modern than the medieval castles in the area – (Photo: MILANDES).
Recently, an excavation led by the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) uncovered the mummies of 7 adults and 5 children buried together in a single tomb within the estate.
In addition to these 12 individuals, the remains of a woman were found interred separately, exhibiting signs of attempted embalming, though it appears to have been unsuccessful.
All of them belonged to the Caumont family, prominent figures of their time.
The archaeological team thoroughly examined the mummies along with surrounding artifacts and noted that their remains were treated using meticulous techniques of high standards.
The chronological disparity among the remains suggests that this knowledge was passed down for over two centuries.
The team also reconstructed the remains to investigate the embalming methods and discovered a skin removal technique akin to those described by the renowned French surgeon Pierre Dionis in 1708.
This technique was utilized in an autopsy conducted in the 18th century in Marseille.
The archaeologists are uncertain why these individuals chose to be mummified upon death, but it is clear that this was a tradition deeply ingrained in this noble family, highlighting their high social status.
The primary purpose of the embalming process was likely not for long-term preservation but rather to serve a lavish funeral.
