‘Real mummy’s curse’: health warning over growing trade in mummified human remains

Academic paper says often illicit trade exposes enthusiasts – and postal workers handling items – to serious risks

A growing global trade in mummified human remains has been described by academics as “a real mummy’s curse” that poses a serious health risk to its enthusiasts and the postal services they use.

Research into the secretive buying and selling of centuries-old human body parts including hands, feet and heads found alarming risks from dormant microorganisms and the toxic materials used to preserve the remains.