How to Mummify a Body | Ancient Egypt

The mummification process is verily uncommon to our modern world; however, it was to the ancient Egyptian civilization thousands of years ago. As in religious beliefs, it was done to ensure that the body could preserve and reach the afterlife without getting decomposed by nature. In today's society, the processes were absolutely gruesome to us but to believe it or not, it was pretty regular to be practiced by the 'ancient Egyptian priests'.

Despite the varying ways of the mummification process throughout the ancient Egyptian period, few of them have pretty clear similarities that are said to be the main 'ingredients' in preserving these bodies;

1. Five main internal organs were removed to avoid digestive enzymes and bacterias spreading throughout the body which, upon death, start eating the corpse from the inside. The five organs were the brain, lungs, liver, stomach, and intestines, both large and small.

2. Natron, a type of salt, was being stuffed into the body cavity then being washed to disinfect the skin. And again, the corpse was set in a bed of more natron for about 35 to 40 days to preserve its outer flesh, removing all fluid from the corpse.

3. Tree resin was poured over the body to seal it, massaged it with a waxy mixture that included cedar oil, and then wrapped in linen, an extremely strong, lightweight fabric made from the flax plant.

4. Finally, the mummy was placed in a series of nested coffins that could be made from either wood or stones that were then decorated with hieroglyphs as in prayer to the Ancient Egyptian Gods. The coffins were sealed to avoid any ventilation that could bring in or out any air particles that could have bacterias.

Surely the procedure didn't seem as uncomplicated as it looked, the ancient Egyptians had gone through a lot of trouble to evade decomposition but how successful were they? Over one million mummies have been found in Egypt thousands of years later, including animals in many of which are cats.

Video Representation!

Facts!

1. Four out of five organs are placed in canopic jars filled with natron salt, each for the safekeeping; the stomach, intestines, lungs, and liver, all of which, it was believed, were necessary for the continued functioning of the body in the Afterlife. These jars were usually kept along with the body inside the tomb.

2. As stated in the book that I read entitled 'God, Rites, Rituals and Religion of Ancient Egypt' by Lucia Gahlin, 'the entire mummification process, from the beginning; the arrival of the corpse at the ibu (place of purification), lasted for 70 days. It was permitted as the funerary preparation period.

It is said that the 70 days as chosen deliberately in connection with the e70 days when the dog star Sirius (divinely personifies as the goddess Sopdet) could not be seen because of its alignment with the Earth and the Sun prior to its helical rising. This annual astronomical occurrence heralded the inundation of the Nile and marked the start of the ancient Egyptian New Year (weep renpet).'

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IskandarSL