Museography of the Guanche mummies from Necochea ( Argentina)

The acquisition of two Guanche mummies restituted to Tenerife from Necochea (Argentina), has made possible our study of the specimens from the perspective of museum exhibitions. The specimens belonged originally ton the old collection of the Casilda Museum (Tacoronte, Tenerife), and were sold to Argentinean businessmen during the 19th century who moved them to Argentina. The body of at least one of the mummies was adapted in several parts so as to present the image of a mummified body. This was a nineteenth century museum practice observed in various parts of the world in order to adapt mummified bodies for public exhibition. The material evidence in this particular case can be observed from anatomical data (the skeleton belongs to two individuals of different sex), and from the use of modern materials totally foreign to Guanche culture.