Mummification

Question 0

True or false: only the very wealthy could be mummified?

Answer 0

True

Question 1

What is mummification?

Answer 1

This is the process of drying out a dead body to prevent it from rotting for the soul or spirit to be preserved. To Egyptians it meant providing a home for the spirit in the afterlife.

Question 2

How long was the process of mummification?

Answer 2

Almost 70 days

Question 3

How many steps were there in the process of mummification?

Answer 3

7

Question 4

What is step 1 and give a brief explanation?

Answer 4

Step 1: announcement of death

A messenger was sent into the streets announcing the death giving people time to prepare for mourning and ceremony.

Question 5

What is step 2?

Give a brief explanation

Answer 5

Step 2: embalming the body

Body taken to embalming workshops which were looked after by a team of priests.

Question 6

What is step 3 and give a brief explanation.

Answer 6

Step 3: removal of brain
They thought the brain a waste of space so they removed as much as they could with hooks through the nose, then put it in water.

Question 7

What is step 4 & give a brief explanation

Answer 7

Step 4: removal of external organs.

Removal of liver, lungs, tummy & intestine which are removed by a small slit on left side of the abdomen.

Question 8

What is the name of the containers that stored each of the organs?

Answer 8

Canopic jars.

Question 9

What happened to the body once the internal organs were removed?

Answer 9

Inside the body was washed out with palm oil & lotions then stuffed with linen or straw to maintain body shape.

Question 10

What is step 5 and give a brief explanation

Answer 10

Step 5: drying out process
Body was placed on a tilted slab on top of natron salt. Water would run off into a basin. This removed moisture & prevented rotting. Body was then taken outside & left to dry for about 40 days.

Question 11

What is step 6 and give a brief explanation.

Answer 11

Step 6: Wrapping of the body
Hundreds of yards of linen used to wrap the body & each toe & finger was wrapped separately.
Charms & written papyrus were placed between each layer of wrapping, they believed these held magical powers that would protect and bring luck to the body.
Priests would say prayers and write on the linen
A final shroud was placed on the mummy to keep the wrapping together
A painted portrait mask was placed over the mummy’s head so that the dead persons soul could recognise the owner
Mummy placed in a painted, decorated coffin.

Question 12

What is a “Ka”

Answer 12

The dead persons soul

Question 13

There is a gold piece placed over the slit on the left of the abdomen what is found on this gold piece?

Answer 13

The eye of Horus

Question 14

What is step 7 & give a brief explanation?

Answer 14

Step 7: final procession
Family & friends walked through the town on their way to the burial place.
People were paid to cry so Gods of the other world would see how loved the person was and had a better chance of going to the after world.
Before the person went inside the tomb a ceremony called Opening of the mouth took place.

Question 15

Explain “opening of the mouth” ceremony.

Answer 15

The priests used special tools to touch different parts of the mummy’s face.
This was so the mummy could eat, see,hear & move in the afterlife.

Question 16

What was the mummy buried with?

Answer 16

All his belongings
The 4 Canopic jars
The book of the dead

Question 17

What was the book of the dead?

Answer 17

Papyrus holding instructions on how to achieve eternal life.

Question 18

Explain the weighing of the heart.

Answer 18

The heart was never removed as it was seen as centre of the persons being.
Gods of the afterworld judged the mummy’s heart on how well he behaved during his natural life. Helping to achieve immortality.