Mummification and Religion in Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egyptians were very religious people with various beliefs and gods. Ancient Egypt consisted of the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom, and the New Kingdom. Not only is Ancient Egypt known for their outstanding architecture in pyramids, but also, their astonishing understanding of the human body. Mummification began around c.3500 BCE and by the Old Kingdom it had become a standard practice. Everything Egyptians did, including mummification had to do with their religious beliefs. They followed rituals to please the gods and therefore received something in exchange. Moreover, they believed that mummifying a body was preparing a person for their afterlife. The process of mummification changed depending on the person’s socioeconomic status.

Egyptians first attempt of artificial mummification was during the Archaic Period (3050-2663 BC). Early mummification techniques began in the Old Kingdom (2663- 2195). By the Middle Kingdom embalmers started placing masks over corpses, the most famous was the mask of King Tutankhamun. Not only did King Tutankhamun have the most famous mask, but also he had the most famous tomb. His coffin was found in 1923 in Thebes, Egypt. Inside the tomb laid many statues, weapons and jewelry. At first people had this belief that only Pharaohs could attain immortality, but later on, anyone was able to. Egyptians saw Pharaohs as gods, so when they passed away, they assumed the Pharaoh would become a God in his or her afterlife. Eventually, during the period of the New Kingdom (2628-1638 BC), Pharaohs were buried in tombs in the Valley of the Kings at Thebes, Egypt. In the Old and Middle Kingdoms Pharaohs were buried in pyramids. As of now, there are about fifty royal pyramids that have survived from thieves. In these royal pyramids, the tomb walls were completely filled with paintings that illustrated scenes of the deceased personal life. Pyramids of ancient Egypt are the most famous tombs up to this day. The most famous are three pyramids built for the Pharaohs; Khufu, Khafre, and Mehkuare. The best one is the Great Pyramid of Giza built for Khufu which is also one of the seven

The most expensive service is said to be the best and usually used by royal families. The body was first laid down on a table and washed. Embalmers started from the head and begin by removing the brain through the nostrils. They used a long metallic hook to remove the brain, often damaging the nose. Although they tried not to change the body’s form because it had to remain as intact as possible. The brain was removed because they believed it was irrelevant to a person’s afterlife. “Once they had removed the brain they would either pack the skull with linen sheets, mud, sand, or resin. The second step was to make an incision on the left side of the abdomen to remove the organs. The whole cavity was washed once the abdomen organs are removed.” The only organs not removed were; the heart, the kidneys, and the vessels for a faster putrefaction. The heart was also left inside because they believed it was what made the person’s identity. The heart was considered the center of emotion and intelligence. After, the cavity was filled with aromatic substances such as cassia and myrrh. Later, the body was dehydrated with an ingredient that occurred naturally in the saline lake beds in Egypt called Natron, also known as “divine salt.” Natron is a compound of sodium salts and was the key ingredient in the process of mummification. Once the body was dehydrated, it was filled to assimilate the body of the one that once