Mummification In Ancient Egyptian Culture

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Death and the journey to the next life were very important to the ancient Egyptian culture and is what perhaps has drawn and still captures the fascination of historians and people alike. Most of Egyptian mythology stems from beliefs of the afterlife and thus explains the importance of mummification. The act of mummification was to ready the body of the deceased for its next journey so that the spirit could once again be reunited with the body. The process of mummification was a long and lengthy process that only the most elite could afford. Common people were not properly preserved and their coffins were made out of easily accessible materials. The ceremony of mummification was very private and done in the presence of a special priest in a workshop near the tomb. The body fist was observed by the scribe and cutter. The method of cutting the body was very unclean and unsanitary. Lastly, the body was then seen by an embalmer, or special priest, who prepared the body. The entire process took approximately two months. …show more content…

The brain was the first to be removed from the body and was pulled through the nose so as to not make any incisions on the head. The head cavity was then filled with linen and resin. Then an incision was made to remove all important organs minus the heart. The organs were placed in four different jars that represented the four sons of Horus. These jars, called Canopic jars, held a drying agent to better preserve the organ. The jars were then placed back into the body or would accompany the body back to the tomb. The body was then washed and dried, a process that took approximately forty days. After the body was dried, it was then stuffed with linen to make the body appear plump. The incision was sewn together and sealed with wax. The eye sockets were also filled with linen, or a fake eyeball was placed in the cavity. Finally, the entire body was wrapped in linen and transported to the

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