FEATURED ESSAYS 1. Egyptian Mummies 2. Mummies And Embalming 3. Ancient Egypt 2 4. King Tut 5. The Myhtology Of Ancient Egypt 6. The Pyramids Of Egypt 7. The Egyptian Pyramids 8. Sahure Ancient Egyptian Art 9. GotMilk 10. Art 11. Ancient Egyptian Medicine 12. Egyptian And Mexican Pyramids 13. Hieroglyphic Writing 14. The Egyptian And Mesopotamian Emp...

Egyptian Mummies


     In ancient Egyptian society preserving a body after death was an
important process necessary for entrance into an immortal existence.
According to Egyptian belief the soul did not die. The soul would take the
form of a bird usually a falcon and fly around in the world of the living
returning later it's  dead body.  The importance of preserving the body
revolved around the idea that the roaming soul would be able to recognize
the right body and return to it.  As a result of this theology Egyptians
developed an effective system of embalming.

     The Egyptian embalming process was a significant and complicated
process performed by priests.  Employing a crooked piece of iron the brain
would be removed through the nostrils.  A sharp stone was used to cut open
the body and extract the intestines.  Palm wine and spices were used to
purify the intestines.  The chest and stomach areas would be filled with
myrrh, cinnamon, and other herbs.  The body would be sewn up and immersed
in natron for seventy days.  After the seventy days the body would be
washed and wrapped in linen from head to foot bound by a gum like substance.
 Upon completion of this procedure the body would now be ready for burial. 
Egyptians used other methods of embalment.  One method attributed to the
lower class was to bury the body in the desert sand for a lengthy period of
time.  The result of this method dried the skin of the body into a leathery
shell.  Arab historian Abdel el Latif discovered on one of his expeditions
a rather unorthodox method of embalment.  Latif and his team came across a
jar filled with honey.  During a lunch break Latif and his party indulged
in the jar of honey until hair began to emerge from the jar.  Upon close
observation the body of a small child was uncovered perfectly preserved in
the honey(not too appetizing).

     The most well known mummies are those of Egyptian Pharaohs. The body
of Tutankhamun is the most renowned fully intact mummy. Several other royal
mummies have survived the centuries but they have been re-wrapped and
stripped of their jewels.  Re-wrapped mummies were not properly completed
and were always hurried(for fear of divine retribution).  The Egyptians
worshipped several animals.  Divine animals such as cats, jackals, hawks,
and bulls were allowed the same mummification privilege as humans.  Entire
cemeteries were reserved for animals.  The cat cemeteries were situated
around Bubastis the center of worship of the cat goddess Bastet.
Underground catacombs house hundreds of thousands of mummified hawks.  It
was common practice for visitors to the catacombs to purchase an animal
mummy and dedicate it to a specific animal god in return for a favour.
Nevertheless, most of these animal mummies when unwrapped contained no
sacred animal, but twigs and sawdust.  The manufacture of phoney mummies
would hundreds of years later in the eighteen century again generate big
business.  The process of mummification was so esteemed that major
criminals would not be executed but denied being mummified.  In another
case, a prince who attempted to assassinate Ramesses II was mummified alive.
 The wretched pose of this prince would suggest he was asphyxiated. Another
suggestion, is that the prince was impaled on a stake by his embalmers and
died in convulsions.

     Priests had to overcome several obstacles before perfecting the
process of embalming.  Since sheepskin was considered unclean a white dough
like material was used.  During periods of epidemics bodies had to be
quickly mummified.  In the embalming chambers a constant flow of water had
to be maintained.  In order to house all the bodies which required a
seventy day dehydration period a large shed was constructed.  Slaves would
have the task of warding off dogs and other scavengers from the shed.  To
prevent the complete dissolving of muscle and tissue priests packed the
body with temporary stuffing(rags, sawdust, straw). Priests had to be
careful not to overstuff the mummy.  Queen Henttaway was overstuffed and
her body burst open and had to be resown.

     Egyptians used magical items to provide additional protection for the
mummies.  Hand and feet amulets acted as substitutes for decaying limbs. In
the same way, face amulets could restore lost powers of sight and speech. 
The Ankh amulet provides the wearer powers of travel and is associated with
all aspects of life and death.  The Udjat Eye of Horus was the most
powerful amulet which represented health and nutrition .  The Girdle of
Isis provided protection to the mummy.  Scarab amulets were placed on
mummies to symbolize the rising sun.  Dried onions were stuffed into the
ears of the mummies and along the bandages although the significance of
this is still unknown.

     The modern examination of mummies has enabled us to ascertain various
facts about everyday Egyptian life.  The mummy of Maat-ka-re a virgin
priestess had for thousands of years been thought to have been mummified
with a child.  Using X- ray technology the child turned out to be a
mummified baboon, one of her favourite pets.  Examination of mummies
revealed that Egyptians were quite short.  A considerable amount of infant
diseases are evident in children mummies.  The life expectancy according to
the mummies was around forty.  Average Egyptians encountered several dental
and health obstacles.  Spinal arthritis was common as were typhoid and
brucellosis.  Mummies serve as a tribute to ancient Egyptian society and
their technology.