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It's thanks to beautifully preserved Egyptian mummies, and artifacts found in the awe-inspiring pyramids of Egypt that we've been able to learn such a lot regarding the life and culture of that glorious land. But, why were the deceased preserved, and how precisely, were they mummified?
?Why Preserve The Deceased
Ancient Egyptians believed that not only the spirit, but additionally the physical body, was important for a palmy journey through the lifetime. Consequently, great care was taken to preserve the body, and to surround it with everything the deceased would need within the Underworld.
Of course, this was purely the privilege of Kings and Queens, and the wealthy - not your normal Egyptian man-in-the-street. But, it's nice to know that the traditional Egyptians did have tremendous respect for animals, with mummified pets also being discovered in burial chambers.
How To create A Mummy
The mummification process took quite a long-standing - something from 2 to 6 months
First of all, the internal organs would carefully be removed, with the exception of the heart. This was because the Ancient Egyptians believed the center contained each spirit and senses, and would be needed on Judgement Day within the Underworld
Once removed, the other internal organs - the lungs, liver, stomach, and intestine - would be clean, then placed into special preserving containers referred to as canopic jars
These jars were often ornately adorned, with unusual lids in the form of associate animal head, the latter representing the god responsible for protective that specific organ. These jars would be carefully placed in the grave, along with the mother
The brain was also removed from the deceased and so, the important method of drying the body would begin. Without this, the body would decompose. Preserving salts referred to as natron, found in the Nile vale, were used as the drier. Once the drying procedure was completed, the salts were removed, and the dried body wrapped in yards and yards of linen and resin
Very often, the mummified body was dressed in clothing, jewelry, and masks, and it would be surrounded by something and everything deemed necessary for its lifetime.
Where To realize Mummies
Nowadays, the mummies are no longer in their tombs, but in museums worldwide
Just go on to places such as the British repository, the Vatican repository, the Luxor repository, the Louvre, or museums in Berlin and Chicago to view excellent samples of fascinating Egyptian mummies