Return of the Mummy

Let’s face it. When we think of ancient artifacts, the first thing that pops to mind is John McCain. After all, he’s as stiff as a mummy, and his politics seem embalmed in a faded age. This Saturday, clear your mind of the petrified blowhard at the Lowe Art Museum, where “Excavating Egypt: Great Discoveries from the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology” tells the story of British pioneer and archaeologist Sir William Matthew Flinders Petrie (1853-1942) and his exploration of ancient Egyptian civilization.

Petrie, known as the Father of Egyptian Archaeology and the inspiration for the film hero Indiana Jones, excavated in Egypt for more than half a century. The beguiling show, which closes this Sunday, features 221 of Petrie's most significant finds — many never before publicly displayed. Among the more unusual artifacts is a rattrap dating to 2005-1650 B.C., which strikes us as the perfect antidote to the GOP pest. Catch it at the Lowe.
Sat., Nov. 1, 2008