Ancient Egyptian Mummies essay

Various cultures made mummies, preserved people’s bodies after their death. Mummification was widely used in Egypt since early ages. The first mummies are supposed to be made deliberately, when sand, air and some particles created a favorable climate for preserving bodies of the dead. At times specific climatic conditions of the dry and hot desert preserved bodies from decay. On noticing this effect, Egyptians began to mummify purposefully. There were different methods of treating bodies after death depending on the stage of development, but generally, mummification is a complicated process, they removed moisture from the body and all the organs except heart. They thought of it as a core, center of a person. Organs were cleaned and put separately from body but in one and the same place. Body’s brain was also removed, usually through nose, by small pieces in order not to damage the head.

Then the body was dried, the process lasted for about seventy days. Some areas of body were stuffed with linen and it was totally and thoroughly wrapped in material. A mask of a person’s face was put between layers of linen. Eyes were added by those, who made mummies.

Later mummies were buried in coffins as in such a way they were better protected from wild nature and animals.

Egyptians were sure that there existed afterlife, and people continued to live after death, so they cared about preparing tombs for themselves beforehand. They placed everything they thought was necessary for them in their afterlife. There were special religious rituals of entering the tomb and placing a body into it.  Mummies are mysterious and always awake special interest.