Two of the individuals; Mary Camp Roberts (1764-1852) and Captain William Pollard (1816-1854), were discovered in 2005 during the archaeological excavation of the site of the Prudential Center Hockey Arena in downtown Newark, New Jersey. Their coffins were opened and their remains were analyzed at the Smithsonian Institute in 2009. The third individual, tentatively identified as Martha Peterson, (1824-ca. 1851) was discovered in 2011 as part of what was originally thought to be a potential crime scene and was studied by a diverse team of experts between 2011 and 2016. In addition to the mummies, the lives of the coffin inventor Almond Dunbar Fisk and his business partners will be explored, as will some of the important events and famous people that shaped the lives and times of the iron coffin mummies.
Facial Reconstructions by Joe Mullins. Facial Reconstruction photos by Emily Mullins
I’m excited to announce that my article on the early iron coffin industry has been published in the Archaeological Society of New Jersey’s Bulletin. Please contact me if you would like a copy, or go to ASNJ.org to get a copy of the entire journal. ABSTRACT Fisk’s airtight, metallic burial cases were created in response […]
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Article by Kaya Laterman The flier advertising a near-one-acre plot of land for sale in Elmhurst, Queens, looks like a typical real estate listing. The oddly-shaped parcel that abuts the Long Island Rail Road tracks is available for $13.8 million. According to the flier, the lot is a great opportunity to capitalize on the growing demand for residential space […]
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On the Travel Channel: Don Wildman investigates a gangster’s sinister plot to cheat death, two enemy pilots brought together by honor, and a curious corpse found in a metal coffin. Learn more: https://www.travelchannel.com/shows/mysteries-at-the-museum/episodes/gangster-frankenstein-unlikely-allies-and-iron-maiden
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It was a pleasure to present my research at my undergrad school so many decades later.
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AMERICAN MUMMIES: THE INDUSTRIAL BIRTH OF THE ETERNAL DEAD November 16 @ 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center, Lilly Performance Hall University of Indianapolis University Lecture Series: Scott Warnasch You are invited to the University of Indianapolis for this fascinating lecture as Forensic Archaeologist Scott Warnasch discusses his most recent episode of “Secrets of the Dead – The […]
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US | Full Length Episode View on the PBS website UK | Full Length Episode View on the TPT/PBS website
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