The realm of the dead returned to a Par market over the weekend as the Valley of the Kings hit the alley of antiques and caused a panic in Truro.
Antique Fairs Cornwall have become a regular site at Cornish Market World as have the weird, wonderful and occasionally wild, lots they auction.
Over the past few months the hammer has been brought down on coffins, prison cell doors, a 1940's hospital operating table and, of course, mummies.
Relics of ancient Egypt that, although replica's, are so lifelike that on Monday, March 11, Cornish Market World received a worried call direct from Truro Museum about one such item.
David Perrelet, of Antiques Fairs Cornwall, said: "A confused member of the public, who had visited Egypt and Cairo Museum was so convinced by the quality of the artefact that she alerted the Truro Museum.
"So good is this replica that it is difficult to tell it from the real thing.
"She was absolutely convinced that the Mummy was real, as she had seen genuine ones in Egypt. That alarmed Staff from the Truro Museum who contacted both Cornish Market World and AFC fairs enquiring about it.
"Since the Egyptians used bat dropping to deter tomb robbers, there is a real danger of Anthrax being spread if a Mummy is not displayed in the right conditions."
The scare passed when Mr Perrelet confirmed to relieved museum staff that the mummy was in fact a replica.
The Mummy in question was a recreation of a High Priestess discovered in Egypt's Valley of the Kings and was the fourth replica Mummy sold so far at Par Market's, Antiques Alley.
This time the deal for the Mummy was wrapped up by a buyer in France.
Antique Fairs Cornwall have become a regular site at Cornish Market World as have the weird, wonderful and occasionally wild, lots they auction.
Over the past few months the hammer has been brought down on coffins, prison cell doors, a 1940's hospital operating table and, of course, mummies.
Relics of ancient Egypt that, although replica's, are so lifelike that on Monday, March 11, Cornish Market World received a worried call direct from Truro Museum about one such item.
David Perrelet, of Antiques Fairs Cornwall, said: "A confused member of the public, who had visited Egypt and Cairo Museum was so convinced by the quality of the artefact that she alerted the Truro Museum.
"So good is this replica that it is difficult to tell it from the real thing.
"She was absolutely convinced that the Mummy was real, as she had seen genuine ones in Egypt. That alarmed Staff from the Truro Museum who contacted both Cornish Market World and AFC fairs enquiring about it.
"Since the Egyptians used bat dropping to deter tomb robbers, there is a real danger of Anthrax being spread if a Mummy is not displayed in the right conditions."
The scare passed when Mr Perrelet confirmed to relieved museum staff that the mummy was in fact a replica.
The Mummy in question was a recreation of a High Priestess discovered in Egypt's Valley of the Kings and was the fourth replica Mummy sold so far at Par Market's, Antiques Alley.
This time the deal for the Mummy was wrapped up by a buyer in France.
