Funny Mummy Coloring Page

Explore ancient history with a silly twist! This printable funny mummy coloring page comes paired with a fascinating reading passage about accidental mummies.

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Reading activity

Optional · Reading: Upper Elementary

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Unwrapping the Secrets of Accidental Mummies

When you think of a mummy, you might imagine a spooky creature slowly marching out of an ancient pyramid with trailing bandages. However, real mummies are not scary movie characters at all. They are extraordinary time capsules that teach us about ancient history! While ancient Egyptians spent months intentionally preparing royal mummies, nature and human error have sometimes created unexpected—and surprisingly funny—mummies along the way.

Not all mummies were created on purpose. Many of the world’s most famous mummies were made completely by accident! Natural mummies happen when extreme cold, hot desert sand, or salty soil prevents a body from decaying. In 1991, hikers exploring the icy Alps discovered a naturally preserved mummy nicknamed Ötzi the Iceman. When scientists examined him, they found he lived over 5,000 years ago. He was still wearing woven grass shoes and a furry coat. The hikers were shocked to stumble upon a traveler from thousands of years ago who looked like he had simply taken a nap in the snow!

Even professional Egyptian embalmers made silly blunders. Priests spent up to seventy days carefully wrapping bodies in hundreds of yards of linen cloth. However, archaeologists scanning mummies with modern technology have spotted some funny mistakes trapped inside the wrappings. In one case, embalmers accidentally wrapped a small bronze tool inside a mummy's bandages after dropping it on the job! Other scans revealed wrapped bundles containing pet cats or leftover food that were misplaced in the wrong tomb.

Today, advanced medical scanners allow researchers to peek inside mummy wrappings without unraveling a single string. Finding misplaced ancient tools or unusual natural discoveries reminds us that ancient people made silly mistakes just like we do. These quirky historical surprises prove that learning about the past can be truly entertaining!

Glossary
  • decaying: Rotting or breaking down naturally over time.
  • embalmers: People who preserve dead bodies using special treatments and wrappings.
  • archaeologists: Scientists who study ancient human history by examining artifacts and physical remains.
  • technology: Modern machinery and equipment developed from scientific knowledge.
  • scanners: Devices used to create detailed images of the inside of an object or body.

Comprehension questions

  1. According to the passage, what do real mummies act like that can teach us about ancient history?

  2. What natural conditions can cause a mummy to form accidentally?

  3. Who was Ötzi the Iceman, and when was he discovered by hikers?

  4. What clothing items was Ötzi still wearing when he was found in the Alps?

  5. How long could ancient Egyptian priests spend wrapping royal mummies?

  6. What accidental tool was discovered wrapped inside a mummy's bandages during modern scans?

  7. What other wrapped items were accidentally misplaced in the wrong tombs?

  8. How do modern researchers look inside mummy wrappings without unwrapping them?

  9. Why do historical mistakes and accidental discoveries matter to modern researchers?

  10. How do natural mummies differ from royal Egyptian mummies in how they were created?

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Printables & worksheets

More ways to practice with this story — every sheet is built from the text itself, answer key included where it counts.

Get all 4 sheets as one workbook

One PDF with a cover, a contents page and every answer key at the back — color the page in, then keep going on paper.

fix the sentence

Sentences from the passage with the capitals and punctuation removed — rewrite each one correctly.

vocabulary

Match the passage words to their meanings, then fill the missing words back into real sentences.

writing prompts

Two writing tasks that build on the passage, with plenty of lines to write on.

Learn Ancient History with a Funny Mummy Coloring Page

Bring history and reading together with this printable coloring page featuring a silly mummy! Designed for upper elementary students, this educational activity pairs fun line art with an informative reading passage about accidental mummies and ancient embalming blunders.

This downloadable sheet is perfect for classroom social studies units or engaging at-home learning. The printable set includes context-rich content that supports reading comprehension, vocabulary development, and key reading skills while keeping kids entertained.

Download this free coloring page with reading passage to give students a creative break that reinforces key learning objectives. Simply print the page for a quick, zero-prep lesson on historical discoveries, comprehension questions, and ancient science.

    Funny Mummy Coloring Page & Reading Sheet | PicoBuddy