***fragile cartonnage, a type of ancient Egyptian material of either linen or papyrus covered in plaster, into hundreds of pieces.***
This was quite common back then. I remember fifty five years ago a news report of Egyptologists taking apart a papyrus breastplate from a mummy and finding an unknown Greek play written on the pieces. It was the story of a boy and girl separated when young, then as adults coming together, falling in love and soon to get married. The Egyptologists were in suspense trying to find how the play ended. We never found out.
This was quite common back then. I remember fifty five years ago a news report of Egyptologists taking apart a papyrus breastplate from a mummy and finding an unknown Greek play written on the pieces. It was the story of a boy and girl separated when young, then as adults coming together, falling in love and soon to get married. The Egyptologists were in suspense trying to find how the play ended. We never found out.
Old Story - Boy meet Girl, Boy loses Girl, Boy and Girl
meet again ……..
Brother and sister? Must have been by Sophocles. :^)
Treasures found inside ancient reptile mummies now under restoration at UC Berkeley
https://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/96legacy/croc.html
Aeschylus Meets the Mummy: 2,500-Year-Old, Lost Greek Trilogy Found Under Wraps
http://www.playbill.com/article/aeschylus-meets-the-mummy-2-500-year-old-lost-greek-trilogy-found-under-wraps-com-116390
[Etruscan]
The Liber Linteus: An Egyptian Mummy Wrapped in a Mysterious Message
https://www.ancient-origins.net/unexplained-phenomena/liber-linteus-egyptian-mummy-wrapped-mysterious-message-002690
Well, let me bring you up to date!
It was adapted to a present day setting and made into a Hallmark movie in 1998.
And again in 2004, 2007, 2011, 2015 and, with a winter setting, for Christmas-in-July this year.