Ancient Egyptians believed in life after death and created mummies for preservation. Initially, they used linen bandages, but later discovered natron for embalming. The process evolved over time, including the use of resin and masks, and took around 60 days.
Ancient Egyptians created mummies due to their firm belief in life after death and the need for a well-preserved body in the afterlife was of monumental importance. Study of the ancient Egyptians reveals that the need to discover artificial means of preserving bodies came after they discovered natural means of doing so. Eventually, the ancient Egyptians made mummies of their deceased using processes that changed over time as new discoveries were made.
Initially, the ancient Egyptians attempted to create mummies by simply wrapping the bodies in many layers of linen bandages. This method was used before the knowledge of any type of embalming and failed to prevent the body from decaying. Although they would have extracted most of the organs from the corpses before turning them into mummies to delay decomposition, the process failed to prevent decay for long.
An advance in mummification was made when the ancient Egyptians decided to dip linen bandages in resin and create a hardened outer shell for their mummies. This process also allowed the living to paint the mummies’ carefully modeled faces to look more realistic. However, since this process was not yet embalming, the corpses still decomposed.
It wasn’t until natron, a natural salt, was discovered that true preservation became possible. Natron was used to embalm mummies and because it dried the tissue, tooth decay was prevented. The drying process took time, and some parts of the body, such as nails, were tied up to avoid falling out and getting lost. The ancient Egyptians believed that a body must arrive in the afterlife completely intact to be used. They proceeded to remove most of the internal organs, but not the heart as it would have to be.
As time went on, mummies were always embalmed with a drying agent and the body cavities filled with sawdust or flax. Often the bodies were cleaned with oils and spices before stuffing. Masks made of hardened resin were often placed over the heads and shoulders of mummies making them distinguishable in the afterlife. Once perfected, the entire mummification process took approximately 60 days, meaning that the funeral and final burial of ancient Egyptian mummies occurred at least two months after death.
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