MUMMIES, MASKS AND MOURNERS

Death veneration, gory details of burial sites, and recent grave-digging discoveries abound on each page of this installment in the ""Time Detectives"" series, imports from England. Mummies have long been associated with the Egyptians, but Berrill's enlightening book offers intriguing discussions of mummies around the world and the rites that were part of their preservation. A haunting picture of a doll-like Inuit infant accompanies the chapter on the mummies of Qilakitsoq, Greenland, while a photo of the reconstructed model of a Celtic man is just a page away from one of his real, leathery body, preserved in peat for more than 2,000 years. Burial chambers, periods of mourning, and the results of grave-robbing are among the many subjects covered here. Offering information in sometimes overterse passages, the book is more a jumping-off point than a comprehensive guide. Still, ""Fact boxes"" of pertinent additional information and a profusion of illustrations make this perfect for the child with an eye for the macabre and a budding appreciation of ritual. Young anthropologists may also discover that the fascination with death has changed little over the ages. For more in-depth coverage of the Egyptians, see Perl's Mummies, Tombs, and Treasure (1987). Glossary; index.