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CNN Live Sunday
Interview With Therese O'Gorman
Aired July 14, 2002 - 18:18 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: An ancient mummy in the United States could be linked to one of the greatest dynasties ever to rule Egypt. Tests on the mummy in the collection at Georgia's Emory University indicate he could be Ramses I. Therese O'Gorman is from Emory and she joins us to explain why this is such an important find. Actually it's probably pretty obvious if it is, in fact, Ramses I. Have you guys been able to determine that for sure?
THERESE O'GORMAN, EMORY UNIVERSITY: We haven't determined anything conclusively yet. We're in the middle of doing research and the Egyptians have expressed interest in returning the mummy. We had always planned to return the mummy to Egypt, so we are going to now continue the research with Egypt.
LIN: We'll get to the Egyptians in just a moment.
O'GORMAN: Yes.
LIN: But just so that the audience can really appreciate if, in fact, this is Ramses I, who was he and why does this get you so excited?
O'GORMAN: The reason it's so exciting is Ramses I was the beginning of the Ramses dynasty, so he was the grandfather of Ramses II who we call the Great Ramses. And there was a lot of unity in Egypt at the time and a lot of building. So, it's very exciting. He's missing. He's not in Egypt. So, it is possible that this is but we don't know yet. We're just in the middle of research.
LIN: All right, so he's not in Egypt and he may be right now in Atlanta. How did he end up in your facility?
O'GORMAN: Well, in 1999, the Carlos Museum at Emory University, bought a collection at the Niagara Falls Museum in Daredevil Hall of Fame in Niagara Falls, Canada when we bought a collection of ancient Egyptian materials. And, in amongst that collection, there was a mummy with crossed arms and this is one of the indications that he could possibly be a Pharaoh. So that's kind of what started us down the road.
LIN: And so, you did some additional testing, right?
O'GORMAN: We've done some additional research, really, and there is some research that had been done previous to the time that we got him, Carbon 14 tests. We've had lots of different scholars come in and look at the mummy that we have and there are profile studies and different types of studies. And so, we're not saying for sure, but the Egyptians have expressed interest and we had always intended to send the mummy back.
LIN: All right, no doubt about it.
O'GORMAN: Yes.
LIN: He will be on display sometime next year, right? You'll get a chance to display?
O'GORMAN: Next spring, he'll be on display at the Carlos Museum at Emory University and it will be for several months. So, we're hoping that the Atlanta community and really people all over come to see this exhibition. It's going to highlight the research and it's also a way of showing our thanks to the Atlanta community for supporting this.
LIN: So, what does he look like?
O'GORMAN: Well, he's quite handsome for a mummy. He really is. People laugh when I say that but he's very handsome. He's almost in perfect condition, and what I mean by that is he has all of his hands and toes. He's in very good shape.
LIN: So, how did he get lost? He was royalty.
O'GORMAN: Well, that's a good question. In antiquity, the royal tombs had to be moved because of tomb robbers. And so they put it in a secret location, but in about 1830 it was discovered by a family and they started selling off pieces from the tomb.
LIN: They probably didn't know what they had.
O'GORMAN: I don't think they knew what they had. In about 1860, when this collection was bought and taken to Canada, and that was legal in those days, you could go and buy things that's when they discovered that the royal cache was being plundered. So there is circumstantial evidence. It sort of lines up. The dates were about right.
LIN: Did the Canadians know what they had?
O'GORMAN: The Canadians didn't know what they had. The director of the museum was a man named Thomas Barnett and he sent his son to buy Egyptian materials so.
LIN: What a lucky break indeed.
O'GORMAN: It is.
LIN: A little bit of history.
O'GORMAN: It's a good story.
LIN: All right, well we'll enjoy it more as we prepare for his debut sometime in the spring of 2003.
O'GORMAN: Spring 2003.
LIN: OK, and let's hope it's him.
O'GORMAN: Yes.
LIN: I think you've got a gut feeling.
O'GORMAN: Yes.
LIN: All right, we're feeling good about this. Thank you very much, Therese O'Gorman.
O'GORMAN: Thank you. Thanks.
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