Mummification Mummification Steps to LifeSteps to LifeMummification Mummification Steps to LifeSteps to LifeBy RobbBy Robb

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Egyptians believed in the Egyptians believed in the after life. They thought after life. They thought that if they kept the body that if they kept the body in good condition they in good condition they could still use the body in could still use the body in the after life.the after life.

Steps to the after lifeSteps to the after lifeSteps to the after lifeSteps to the after life

#1 Announcement of the #1 Announcement of the death.death.

#2 embalming the body.#2 embalming the body. #3 Removing the brains#3 Removing the brains #4 Removing the internal #4 Removing the internal

organs.organs. #5 Drying out process #5 Drying out process #6 wrapping the body#6 wrapping the body #7 The final possession#7 The final possession

#1 Announcement of #1 Announcement of deathdeath#1 Announcement of #1 Announcement of deathdeath

The first step was to tell The first step was to tell the people of the death the people of the death by sending a messenger by sending a messenger to the towns and tell the to the towns and tell the people that somebody people that somebody has died so they have has died so they have time to get ready for the time to get ready for the mourning period and mourning period and ceremony. ceremony.

#2 Embalming the Body #2 Embalming the Body #2 Embalming the Body #2 Embalming the Body

The next step was to take the The next step was to take the body to the embalmers. The body to the embalmers. The priests would start off by priests would start off by cutting off all the facial hair. cutting off all the facial hair. Then they would slice a Then they would slice a incision into left abdomen, the incision into left abdomen, the person that made the cut ran person that made the cut ran out of the building while out of the building while people chucked stones. The people chucked stones. The reason they did this was reason they did this was because they thought it was because they thought it was wrong to harm the dead. wrong to harm the dead.

#3 Removing the brains#3 Removing the brains#3 Removing the brains#3 Removing the brains

the Egyptians believed that the Egyptians believed that the brain was just a waste of the brain was just a waste of space so they removed the space so they removed the brain by pushing a hooked brain by pushing a hooked rod (often of made of bronze, rod (often of made of bronze, 25.0-30.0 cm long) into the 25.0-30.0 cm long) into the nasal passages providing a nasal passages providing a passage for the semi liquid passage for the semi liquid brain( and if you were too brain( and if you were too poor to get a proper treatment poor to get a proper treatment they stuck a papyrus syringe they stuck a papyrus syringe into the nostril and pumped in into the nostril and pumped in cedar oil which liquefied the cedar oil which liquefied the brain). brain).

#4 Removing the internal #4 Removing the internal organsorgans#4 Removing the internal #4 Removing the internal organsorgans

After the brains came the internal organs: After the brains came the internal organs: the liver, the lungs, the stomach, and the the liver, the lungs, the stomach, and the intestines the way the priests got the intestines the way the priests got the internal organs out was, you guessed it internal organs out was, you guessed it sticking you hand in! the organs were sticking you hand in! the organs were each separately mummified and stuck each separately mummified and stuck into a jar called a canopic jar each had a into a jar called a canopic jar each had a different god on it. All these gods were different god on it. All these gods were horus’s sons. Imset protected the liver.horus’s sons. Imset protected the liver.He had the head of a human.He had the head of a human. Ha'py watched over the lungs. Ha'py watched over the lungs. He had the head of a baboon.He had the head of a baboon. Duamutef looked after the stomach. Duamutef looked after the stomach.He had the head of a jackal.He had the head of a jackal. Qebehsenuef looked over the intestines. Qebehsenuef looked over the intestines. He had the head of a falcon.He had the head of a falcon.

Once the internal organs were Once the internal organs were removed, the inside of the body was removed, the inside of the body was washed out with palm oil, lotions, washed out with palm oil, lotions, and preserving fluids. Next the body and preserving fluids. Next the body was stuffed with linen, straw, or was stuffed with linen, straw, or other packing material to keep the other packing material to keep the general shape of the person. general shape of the person. Sometimes the embalmers were Sometimes the embalmers were careless and either stuffed too much careless and either stuffed too much or too little. This caused the mummy or too little. This caused the mummy to look puffy or disfigured. to look puffy or disfigured.

#5 Drying out process#5 Drying out process#5 Drying out process#5 Drying out process

The body was placed on The body was placed on a slab and covered with a slab and covered with natron salt. The slab was natron salt. The slab was tilted so that the water tilted so that the water would run off into a would run off into a basin. This removed basin. This removed moisture and prevented moisture and prevented rotting. The body was rotting. The body was taken outside and let dry taken outside and let dry for about forty days. for about forty days. After the body was After the body was completely dried out, the completely dried out, the wrapping of the body wrapping of the body began. began.

#6 wrapping the body#6 wrapping the body#6 wrapping the body#6 wrapping the body

Wrapping the body was a Wrapping the body was a painstaking process. The body painstaking process. The body was anointed with oils, and a gold was anointed with oils, and a gold piece with the Eye of Horus was piece with the Eye of Horus was placed over the slit in the placed over the slit in the abdomen. Hundreds of yards of abdomen. Hundreds of yards of linen were used to wrap the body, linen were used to wrap the body, and each toe and finger was and each toe and finger was wrapped separately. Charms, wrapped separately. Charms, amulets, and inscribed pieces of amulets, and inscribed pieces of papyrus were placed between papyrus were placed between each layer of bandage. Egyptians each layer of bandage. Egyptians believed that these charms had believed that these charms had magical properties that would magical properties that would protect and bring luck to the body. protect and bring luck to the body.

The wrapping process would be The wrapping process would be stopped every once in a while so stopped every once in a while so that the priests could say certain that the priests could say certain prayers and write on the linen. prayers and write on the linen. Mummia was added to the shroud Mummia was added to the shroud to "glue" it all together. (That's to "glue" it all together. (That's where the word "mummy" comes where the word "mummy" comes from.) Sometimes false eyes were from.) Sometimes false eyes were inserted and make-up applied. inserted and make-up applied. Then a painted portrait mask was Then a painted portrait mask was placed over the mummy's head so placed over the mummy's head so that dead person's soul (Ka) could that dead person's soul (Ka) could recognize its owner. The mummy recognize its owner. The mummy was then placed into a painted, was then placed into a painted, decorated coffin. decorated coffin.

#7 The final procession#7 The final procession#7 The final procession#7 The final procession

The last step of mummification was the final The last step of mummification was the final procession. The final procession was where the family procession. The final procession was where the family and friends of the deceased walked through the town and friends of the deceased walked through the town on their way to the burial place. Mourners were paid to on their way to the burial place. Mourners were paid to cry so that the gods of the other world would see that cry so that the gods of the other world would see that the person was well loved. The more people who cried, the person was well loved. The more people who cried, the more he was loved, and the better chance he had the more he was loved, and the better chance he had of going to the after world. Before the mummy was of going to the after world. Before the mummy was taken inside the tomb, a ceremony called the "Opening taken inside the tomb, a ceremony called the "Opening of the Mouth" took place.of the Mouth" took place.

Opening of the mouth Opening of the mouth ceremony ceremony Opening of the mouth Opening of the mouth ceremony ceremony

When an ancient Egyptian died, he was not When an ancient Egyptian died, he was not buried into the ground, mourned and then buried into the ground, mourned and then forgotten. Nor was his grave simply just visited forgotten. Nor was his grave simply just visited at certain times and some token words spoken at certain times and some token words spoken over it, so that once again he is forgotten until over it, so that once again he is forgotten until next visit. The ancient Egyptians believed that next visit. The ancient Egyptians believed that ritual existed which would bring sensory life ritual existed which would bring sensory life back to the deceased’s form, enabling it to see, back to the deceased’s form, enabling it to see, smell, breathe, hear, and eat, and thus partake smell, breathe, hear, and eat, and thus partake of the offering foods and drinks brought to the of the offering foods and drinks brought to the tomb each day as offerings to the dead. tomb each day as offerings to the dead.