ancient egyptian mummification

A Beginner’s Guide to Egyptian

MummificationEnsure your pharaoh makes it

to the afterlife safely!

So, your beloved pharaoh has just died—what do you do now? You must make sure to mummify him correctly; any small mistake could jeopardize his chances for eternal life! But not to worry, just follow this easy, step-by-step guide to

ensure that your holy leader continues to live life everlasting.

Welcome!

First, make sure the kingdom knows the

news. Send a messenger to

the city streets to cry out the

announcement.

Announce the Death

Two major processes:

Embalmingand

Wrapping

Embalming

Wash the body in palm wine.

Embalming Step 1:

Embalming Step 2:Rinse the body with water

from the Nile.

Embalming Step 3:Make a small incision on the

left side of the body.

Embalming Step 4:Remove important internal

organs through the slit. This includes liver, lungs, stomach

& intestines.

Embalming Step 4:*Note* do NOT

remove the heart—it is the

seat of the soul and must remain with the bearer!

Embalming Step 5:Remove the brain by pulling it out through the nose with a hook (we’re not really sure what the brain is for, but it

can’t be too important).

Embalming Step 6:Stuff the body with natron (salt and bicarbonate of

soda). Use the remainder to cover the body.

Embalming Step 7:Set the body and internal organs outside in the hot

sun to dry.

Embalming Step 8:

Wait 40 days for the body and organs

to dry.

Embalming Step 9:Rinse the body with water from the Nile (yes, again).

Embalming Step 10:Cover the body with fragrant oils

(we recommend myrrh, sandalwood, attar of roses, and/or

cedar).

Embalming Step 11:Stuff the body with dry

materials, such as sawdust, leaves, and/or linen. Be

careful not to use too much or too little—you don’t want to

disfigure the body!

Embalming Step 12:Cover the body with more

fragrant oils, for good measure.

Embalming Step 13:Place the dried organs in the corresponding canopic jars.

Make sure they are packed tight with natron.

Imsety, the human-headed god looks after the liver.

Hapy, the baboon-headed god looks after the lungsDuamutef, the jackal-headed

god looks after the stomach

Qebehsenuef, the falcon-headed god looks after the

intestines.

WrappingYou will need a

special slatted table for this process. This

is so you can wrap around the body without having to

keep turning it over.

Wrapping Step 1:Wrap the head and neck.

Wrapping Step 2:Wrap the fingers and toes.

Wrapping Step 3:Wrap the arms and legs.

Wrapping Step 4:Place the sacred amulets on the body. The most important is the Ankh to protect the welfare of the deceased. “The amulet is a protection for this Great One, which will drive off anyone who would perform a criminal act against him.” - The Book of the Dead, 156th spell.

Wrapping Step 5:Read the appropriate spells

from The Book of the Dead to ensure protection and a safe

passage for the soul.

Wrapping Step 6:

Tie the arms and legs together. Remember to

place a copy of The Book of the Dead between

the arms.

Wrapping Step 7:Completely wrap the rest of

the body.

Wrapping Step 8:Paint the

wrapped body with resin to seal and protect it.

Wrapping Step 9:Cover the body with a

decorative cloth (we suggest using the image of Osiris).

Wrapping Step 10:Wrap strips of linen around the body to keep the cloth in place. See the diagram below for best

placement.

Wrapping Step 11:

Lay the mummy in the

first coffin. Place that inside the

second coffin.

Wrapping Step 12:Hold the funeral and

procession honoring your beloved leader.

Wrapping Step 13:Perform the “Opening of the

Mouth” Ceremony, so that the deceased may eat and drink in

the next life.

Wrapping Step 14:Put the mummy into the

sarcophagus. Have a high priest perform last

rites: “You will live again, you revive always, you have

become young again, you are young again and forever.”

Wrapping Step 15:Place the mummy in his final

resting place (pyramids are lovely, but you may want to consider a

more discrete tomb to discourage grave robbers).

CONGRATULATIONS!

You have successfully ensured that your pharaoh will live

forever!