Mummification

By Zuni Tuck

What is mummification?

Mummification is what ancient Egyptians used to do to dead people. First the body is sent to the embalmers to be washed. Then the organs would be pulled out and put into canopic jars. 

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The organs!

The organs are all taken out.

The brain is the first to be pulled out.

 A hook is used to be shoved up the nose then it is mushed about a bit, finally the hook is taken out and the brain sloshes out of the nose.

The organs!

Your liver, lungs, stomach and intestines are removed through a slit in your tummy. 

Each organ in stored in a special jar called a canopic jar.

The intestines where often a problem because they were so long.

The organs had to be cleansed in natron salt before they were put in the jars.

The body!

Natron salt is sprinkled into the slit in your tummy. It is then left for 40 days. By now the body should be all wrinkly and leathery. 

Now your body is ready to be sent to the per nefer (beautiful house.)

 Nice oils will be rubbed into your skin to make it soft.

 The gap where your organs have been taken out of is filled with rags an sawdust. 

Wraping the mummy!

Wraping the mummy usually takes about 15 to 20 days. You need about 20 layers of linen bandage.

 Linen was very expensive so you had to collect it all your life if you wanted a decent mummification.

 Resin is used to glue the bandages together.

Coffins!

Once you have been wrapped, you will need a good wooden coffin. If you are very rich you could have as many as three coffins all fitting snugly inside one another. 

 Make sure that they have pictures of the gods and the right spells painted on them to protect you in the afterlife.

The afterlife!

The Egyptians belived in life after death. You had to be very good to get into the afterlife. When you where dead you whould