An Egyptian mummy is the body of a person or animal deliberately preserved after death, a practice central to ancient Egyptian civilization for thousands of years. The process was not merely for preservation but was deeply intertwined with religious beliefs about the afterlife. For the ancient Egyptians, a preserved body was a vessel for the soul’s journey after death, a physical anchor required for eternal life. This lengthy process reflected the importance of ensuring a successful transition to the next realm.
The Spiritual Purpose of Mummification
Mummification was central to Egyptian religious life because of the belief that the afterlife was a direct continuation of earthly existence, for which the physical body needed to remain intact. This stemmed from the Egyptian understanding of the soul, which consisted of several parts. Two of these, the Ka and the Ba, were important for the deceased’s survival.
The Ka was considered a person’s life force or spiritual twin, which came into existence at birth and continued after death. The Ba was the individual’s personality. After death, the Ba was free to travel between the world of the living and the tomb, but it needed to return to the physical body each night to be reunited with the Ka. If the body decayed, this reunion would be impossible, leading to a final death.
Preserving the body through mummification was a way to ensure the continued existence of both the Ka and the Ba. This allowed the deceased to undertake the journey through the underworld. The goal was to reach the “Weighing of the Heart” ceremony, where the deceased’s heart was weighed against the feather of Ma’at, the goddess of truth and justice. If the heart was deemed free of sin, the individual was granted passage to the eternal paradise ruled by the god Osiris.
The Ancient Mummification Process
The ancient Egyptian mummification process was a complex procedure that took approximately 70 days to complete. It was carried out by specialized priests in workshops located in the desert. The first step involved the removal of the internal organs, which are the first parts of the body to decompose. Embalmers would use a long, hooked instrument to extract the brain through the nasal cavity.
Following the brain’s removal, a small incision was made on the left side of the abdomen to take out the lungs, liver, stomach, and intestines. The heart was intentionally left inside the body. The Egyptians believed the heart was the center of intelligence and emotion, and the deceased would need it for the judgment ceremony in the afterlife. The removed organs were then washed, dried, and stored in canopic jars, each protected by one of the four sons of the god Horus.
With the organs removed, the body cavity was cleansed with palm wine and spices. The next and longest stage of the process was dehydration. The body was completely covered and packed with natron, a natural salt mixture harvested from dry lake beds. The natron would absorb all the moisture from the tissues over about 40 days, preventing decay.
Once the body was thoroughly dried, the natron was removed, and the shrunken corpse was ready for wrapping. This final stage involved hundreds of yards of linen strips. Embalmers would carefully wrap each limb, finger, and toe individually before wrapping the entire body. Magical amulets were often placed between the layers of linen to provide protection on the journey to the afterlife. A funerary mask was placed over the head and shoulders before the mummy was sealed within its coffin.
Modern Scientific Discoveries from Mummies
The study of Egyptian mummies has been transformed by modern technology, allowing scientists to learn about life in ancient Egypt without physically unwrapping the fragile remains. Non-invasive imaging techniques like CT scans and X-rays create detailed, three-dimensional images of a mummy’s interior. These methods enable researchers to determine an individual’s age at death, sex, and sometimes their cause of death.
These “digital unwrappings” have provided information about the health of ancient Egyptians. For instance, scans have revealed evidence of various diseases, some of which are still common today. Atherosclerosis, or the hardening of the arteries, has been identified in numerous mummies, suggesting that cardiovascular disease is not just a modern affliction. Evidence of illnesses such as tuberculosis, malaria, and parasitic infections has also been found.
Beyond disease, scientific analysis of mummies has shed light on other aspects of ancient life. DNA analysis, although challenging with ancient samples, has been used to establish family relationships, most famously in the case of Tutankhamun. Chemical analysis of hair and bone can reveal details about an individual’s diet and environmental exposure. This makes mummies a unique biological archive, providing direct insights into the lives of ancient people.