Mummification

A mummy is a dead human or animal body that has been preserved over a long period of time. Many of the most famous mummies are from Egypt. The earliest Egyptian mummies were created naturally by Egypt’s dry air and sand. Later, the Egyptians deliberately created mummies as part of their belief in an afterlife. People, as well as idolized animals (falcons, cats, baboons), were part of the mummification process

The entire process of mummification took 70 days to complete and was conducted in several different phases. The first phase of the mummification process was performed in a special enclosure called a per nefer. The embalmers would lay the corpse on a slanted table where they would proceed to remove the brain and organs of the abdomen and chest, such as the liver and lungs. A bowl would be placed on the edge of the table to collect any liquid material that would eventually cause decay.

After removing the organs, the next phase in the embalming process was to preserve the stomach (duamutlef), intestines (qubehsenuef), liver ( imsetl ) and lungs (hapi). Unlike the brain, these organs were saved and preserved in a special salt called natron. Natron is similar to a mixture of table salt and baking soda. Each organ was then placed into a separate container called a canopic jar. Initially, the top of the jars were carved to resemble the face of the dead. Later on, they were shaped like the heads of the four sons of the god Horus. Each son was responsible for watching a specific organ.

After the organs were removed and placed in the canopic jars, the body was washed with wine. The alcohol in the wine would kill any remaining bacteria on the body. The corpse was then covered with natron, where it sat for 40 days to dry out. Then, the entire body was rubbed with cedar oil and coated with resin to make it waterproof.

Once the body was completed dried and cleaned, it was adorned with jewelry. Then, it was covered with approximately twenty layers of linen. Funeral amulets, like the scarab, were placed between the layers of the bandages to protect and preserve the mummy’s spirit on its way to the afterlife.

Funeral masks were also made so the “ba” and the “ka” (the dual parts of the soul) could recognize the person. Many of the masks were made from wood. However, some special masks like King Tut’s, were made out of solid gold.

Some mummies were also placed into a sarcophagus for additional protection.