Mummification of Egyptian Mummies : 5000 Years of History Speaks
Egypt contains the remains of one of the greatest civilizations the world has ever seen. The people of Egypt lived a prosperous life. Their fertile lands gave rise to a prosperous agricultural society that developed some of the most advanced farming techniques of the ancient world. Their construction projects were unparalleled, and they forever changed the map of Egypt with their massive temples and imposing pyramids.
His army was invincible, his science so revolutionary that his art laid out the blueprint for regeneration. And their dead bodies were preserved. Because the ancient Egyptians believed that a soul and life force were needed to survive. And he returns to it regularly. And that requires a body. And to prevent this body from decaying, it was subjected to a long and gruesome autopsy process.
The practice of mummifying the dead began in ancient Egypt in 3500 BCE. The English word mummy comes from the Latin mumia which is derived from the Persian mum meaning "wax" and refers to a waxy corpse. Bodies buried in the ground for years have been so well preserved that even after years of excavation, they have been found in better condition. Burial and mortuary rituals were taken seriously in ancient Egypt.
When a person dies, they are brought to an embalmer (a person whose job it is to use chemicals to prevent the dead body from decaying). who offer three types of processing. According to historians, the best and most expensive type of process was called "Osiris", the second best was largely inferior and cheap, while the third was the cheapest process.
They were asked to choose which procedure their bereaved family preferred, and their response was not only for the deceased but also for themselves. The Osiris procedure was performed only for the king of Egypt and his family members. So it lasts for a long time. That is why most of the mummies found in the ground today belong to the king and his family.
The most complex embalming process was developed around 1550 BCE, and is considered the best method of preservation. With this method, the internal organs were removed, and then the body was wrapped in several strips of linen. It was an expensive process that took about 70 days to complete, so only the very rich could afford it.
Embalming (the process of embalming a dead body by an embalmer) that was removed from heavily populated areas. The mummies that have been found even today have been found far away from the habitation area.
♦ The Mummification Process :
After death, the body was first taken to a place of purification i.e. Ibu, where it was washed in river water. It was then carried to the nefer or "house of mummification", which was shaped like an open tent to allow for ventilation. Here it was placed on a table ready to be dissected by embalmers. These men were skilled craftsmen. Who had deep knowledge of anatomy. It often included priests, as performing religious rites on the deceased was an important part of the embalming process.
The oldest and most experienced priests performed the main parts of embalming, such as wrapping the body, processing it with certain chemicals, rather than those people themselves. This complete mummification was performed in the presence of Anubis. Anubis means god of embalming and giver of life after death. Such was his dominance that even today the figure of Anubis is found in all mummies. The embalming process was capable of creating mummies that people believed would last for eternity.
Then a small incision was made on the left side of his body and the organs were removed except the heart. The heart is left out because it was considered the center of intelligence, and people believed it would be needed in the afterlife. Then it was dried on salt for more than 40 days. It was then washed in Nile water and some type of oil was applied to the skin to keep it elastic. This was an oil found on almost all mummies. But according to scientists, this type of oil is not found in the world. And then the body is stuffed with sawdust and linen to make it look alive.
The Egyptians believed that the dead body was placed in its graves with its chosen valuables. As ornaments were placed with the body. Then in the last vigil a cloth was wrapped around the body by the priests to drive away the evil spirits. Then mantras are read out loud by a priest. Then the mask of "Anubis", the god associated with the afterlife, was worn. Thus this process is completed.
A key ingredient in embalming was natron, or netjari, the divine salt. It is a mixture of sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, sodium sulfate, and sodium chloride that occurs naturally in Egypt, although common salt was also used in burials. Most of the mummies have been found about 64 kilometers northwest of Syro in general.
Wealthy Egyptians would pre-build luxurious tombs for themselves and fill them with things that would protect and help them in the afterlife. which ranged from simple items like bowls, combs and clothes to chariots, furniture, weapons and gold ornaments. Even today all these things are found underground. The treasures found in ancient Egyptian tombs are among the most valuable in the world. Food was also stored with some mummies, and after the mummy's tomb was sealed, some pictures and some text were written on its walls to preserve vitality. Many such scripts and pictures have been found in the history of Egypt which still have their secrets intact.
The biggest mystery of Egypt is the "Pyramid." There are so many secrets hidden in the pyramid that we don't know even 5% of its secrets. You will be surprised to know that more than 100000 scientists and historians of the world are researching only on the pyramids. With the rising of the new sun, something new is known about the pyramids. For the scientists of the country and the world, the pyramid is one of the first that will never be completely solved.
-- Bhautik Thummar
