Lesson 2: Mummification

In order to have a life after death, the Egyptians believed their bodies had to be preserved.

The specific technique the Egyptians used to preserve bodies was called mummification. This involved removing the internal organs, drying out the body, and wrapping it in bandages. The chief embalmer wore the mask of Anubis, the god of embalming, while he worked on the body.

How were mummies made?
The first step was to wash and purify the body. Then a wire was inserted up the nose and the brain was pulled out. (The brain was thrown away, as it was thought to be useless.) The other organs, including the stomach, intestines, liver, and lungs were also removed, and were embalmed in pots called canopic jars. Only the heart was left in the body, as it was thought to be the centre of intelligence and emotion.

The body was then filled with stuffing and covered with a substance called natron. This substance absorbed all the moisture and fluids in the body.

After about forty to fifty days, the body was totally dried out. The embalmer then removed the stuffing and repacked the body with linen or sawdust. This restored the true shape of the body. The body was then sewn shut and the skin massaged with oils to restore its softness.

The body was then wrapped in layers of linen and covered in a sheet called a shroud. Finally, the mummy was placed in a stone coffin called a sarcophagus.

What happened next?

The mummy was now ready for its journey to the afterlife.

First, though, it had to pass through Duat, or the underworld. Duat was a dangerous place, filled with lakes of fire, monsters, and fire breathing serpents. To get through Duat safely, the mummy's coffin was equipped with a set of scrolls called the Book of the Dead. The mummy's spirit could consult these scrolls and learn the spells needed to ward off danger.

The mummy's spirit then had to pass one final test, the Weighing of the Heart. If the heart weighed less than the "feather of truth", the mummy's spirit was free to pass on to the afterlife, a place of everlasting happiness. If it weighed more than the feather, the heart was eaten by a terrible monster called the Devourer and the mummy's spirit died.

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Did You Know?

Scientists once believed the skin of embalmed bodies turned black because they had been coated in mummiya, a kind of tar. This is where the name "mummy" comes from.

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Check Your Knowledge Activity 2:
Mummy Crossword Puzzle

Send In Activity 2:
Choose one of these options:

Option A: Make King Tut's Death Mask
Option B: Make a Canopic Jar