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Making mummies

© Lucy Charlotte Acland Johnson

When important Egyptian people died they were mummified (made into mummies). Here is the process used:

? They took the dead body and placed in on a table - a table with wooden bars rather than a normal top was often used, because it made it easier to wrap the mummy later.

? They stuck a sharp hook up the left nostril into the brain. The Egyptians thought the brain was useless, and they pulled it out and threw it away.

? The skull was then filled with natron, a preserving substance containing natural salt, and plaster. This kept the skull in the correct shape.

? The front of the body was then cut open and all the organs were taken out and cleaned. They also cleaned the wound, often using palm wine. The stomach was filled with spices such as myrrh.

? The wound was sewn up and the body placed in natron for seventy days. Natron absorbs moisture, and so helped to keep the body dry for preservation. After that the body was wrapped with linen bandages, which were stuck down with gum.

Amazing facts

? If you covered a basketball court with linen bandages, then you'd almost have enough to wrap a mummy.

? The organs from the stomach were buried with the person in special jars called canopic jars.

? Jewellery was often placed between layers of the bandages.

? The eyes were sometimes replaced with small black stones. Ramses VI had two small onions for eyes.

? The heart was the only thing left in the body. This was very important because it was supposed to be weighed in the afterlife to see whether the dead person could go to heaven.

? The mouth of the body had to be 'opened' by a priest. This was a special ceremony which meant that the person could eat, breathe and talk in the afterlife.

? Once the mummy had been made it was put in several coffins, and sometimes had a mask of gold on its head if important enough.

? When the coffins were taken to the grave there were processions of people mourning. The more people mourning, the more important the dead person. Mourners could be hired if you had enough money.

? 'Mummy' is an arabic word for bitumen, which is a sort of tar that the Egyptians regarded as precious in medicine.

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