| Everyone has something that he or she might need to | | | | their religion and mythical life. It was assumed that a |
| protect and preserve for as long as they can. For this | | | | person might need their body in the afterworld. |
| reason, mankind has invented several ways of | | | | Therefore, the body along with several worldly |
| protecting different things. From tin cans to plastic | | | | possessions was preserved and kept in a casket. It is |
| boxes, we have different kind of food packaging | | | | also said that the tetragonal shape of pyramids was |
| available today. Businesses such as Contract | | | | supposed to preserve the body for a longer time. |
| Warehouse provide fulfillment packaging services and | | | | The mummification was based on several processes. |
| provide high end protection for various goods. It is an | | | | Ancient murals and hieroglyphs on the pyramids' walls |
| interesting fact that preservation and protection of | | | | give us quite a detailed account of these processes. |
| valuable things is not a modern concept. | | | | The first process which is called embalming was |
| Even the most ancient of civilizations used to protect | | | | carried out at IBU, the tent of purification. This usually |
| their precious things that they wanted to last forever. | | | | took 70 days to complete. The body was washed |
| Talking about the most ancient civilization, the Egyptian | | | | with Natron, which is a salt that dehydrates the body. |
| civilization, the most precious of all things were the | | | | Once cleansed, the body was taken to Wabet where |
| Pharaohs. The process used to preserve their bodies | | | | the internal organs were removed through incisions. |
| after death is called mummification. | | | | After removing the organs, the internal space was |
| In general, mummification is not specific to any | | | | cleansed and stuffed temporarily. The organs were |
| particular region or human being. A mummy is any | | | | also treated with Natron and later had to go through all |
| corpse or body whose skin and organs have been | | | | the mummification processes as well. In mummies |
| preserved. This could either be intentional or incidental | | | | found from the Middle Kingdom and later dynasties, the |
| preservation. In case of incidental mummification, | | | | brain was also removed and preserved. Then the dry |
| factors such as extreme cold weather or the lack of | | | | Natron was applied inside and outside of the body. |
| air can act as preservatives. | | | | Forty days after the application of Natron, the body |
| Typically, mummification in Egypt was intentional and | | | | became completely dehydrated so that decaying |
| they used chemicals for this purpose. Yet, long before | | | | would not occur. It was then bathed in perfume, |
| this, Egyptians used a natural process of | | | | decorated and wrapped in linen. The purpose of linen |
| mummification. They used to bury their dead in dry | | | | was to protect the body from breakage. The body |
| desert sand, where the heat and less humid | | | | and organs along with valuable possessions were |
| environment naturally preserved the body. Later, they | | | | usually placed in the pyramids. The pharaohs had their |
| learned chemical mummification to protect the bodies | | | | pyramids built before their own eyes while their |
| from animals in the desert. | | | | servants were often buried in separate chambers of |
| For Egyptians, mummification soon became a part of | | | | the same pyramids. |