Ancient Egypt had developed the best way of preserving memories of their dead, and eventually developed the most effective process of Egypt Mummification out of all ancient civilizations.

The earliest Egyptians buried the dead bodies of their peers in underground pits where dry heat and sand naturally dehydrated the bodies and created natural mummies. Eventually, they started using coffins to protect the bodies from wild animals, but these bodies barred from natural heat and sand, easily decayed.

Ancient Egypt Mummification Process

Then came one of the greatest inventions made by man in human history, the process of preserving dead bodies following a series of scientific steps, o be termed “mummification” by modern society.

Mummification of a body consists of two primary steps- embalming and wrapping to prepare the body for burial. The body is taken to the ‘ibu’ or Tent of Purification where the embalmers wash it with water from the Nile and palm wine. Many of the internal organs are removed from one side as they decompose the fastest. The heart is left inside the body as ancient Egyptians believed that it would be needed in the afterlife to judge a person’s moral character.

The brain was pulled out through the nose by using a long stick. The body was then stuffed with natron and covered. Forty days later, the body was washed again and covered with oil to give it an elastic nature.

The dehydrated organs were either put back in the body, or put in canopic jars especially prepared for these organs. These jars were also ritualistic and were dedicated to gods guarding each organ, for example, Imsety for the liver, Hapy for the lungs, etc. the body is then stuffed with dry saw dust, leaves, and linen.

After this, the whole body is wrapped with linen strips and amulets are put to protect the dead body on its journey to the afterlife. Liquid resin helps to glue the bandages together. The body is then put inside a coffin. Amidst a lot of festivities, chants and ritualistic prayers the body is finally taken to be put inside the tomb.Inside the tomb, the coffin is put inside a sarcophagus, after carrying out the “opening of the mouth” ceremony.

This process of Egypt Mummification was intimately connected with the ancient belief in the afterlife. The Egyptians believed that the soul needs a body in the afterlife and hence a proper protection of the dead body was undertaken through mummifying it. This indirectly points to the fact that ancient Egyptians had a great anatomical knowledge.

In time the process was elaborated and new discoveries made from time to time. The root of all such elaboration was a ritualistic and the blind faith of the Egyptians in an afterlife, as real as the life they lived in this world.

Here is a Getty museum video about the ancient Egyptian mummification procedure.

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