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The details of
Egyptian mummification process has been lost to time. Most of what we know today about mummification process comes from writings of Herodotus, Greek traveler. From what we know, creating ancient Egyptian mummies is a complicated process. Herodotus' writings indicate that entire process takes 70 days, from time of death till mummy is buried.
Firstly, internal organs are removed. All organs are removed except for heart, which ancient Egyptians believed to be center of a person's being.
To remove organs from abdominal cavity (such as lungs, stomach, liver and intestines), a small cut is made in left abdomen, and organs removed from there. The organs are then cleansed and stored in 4 canopic jars, representing Four Sons of Horus. These jars will be buried together with mummy.
The brain is also removed. A hooked instrument is inserted into skull via nose. The hook is then used to pull out brain in small pieces.
The next step in Egyptian mummification process is to dry body. If there is any water remaining in body, bacteria will grow and cause body to decompose. The drying agent is natron, a mixture of salts found along Nile valley. By covering body with natron for majority of 70 days, it will be completely dried.
After natron is removed, body is then wrapped using linen and resin. Hundreds of yards of linen are used, and usually covered with holy inscriptions. The finished mummy is then buried in his tomb together with his possessions.
Egyptologists have long wondered if this process as described by Herodotus could really create ancient Egyptian mummies. In 1994, a team of scientists at University of Maryland, USA, closely followed Egyptian mummification process and successfully created a mummy that was free of bacteria and decay. Thus mystery of mummy is finally solved.
You can visit www.nekhebet.com for more information about mummies and other mysteries of ancient Egypt.
Steven maintains the informational website Wonders of Ancient Egypt at http://www.nekhebet.com. Do visit if you want to find out more about the wonders of Egypt such as the Pyramids and the Lighthouse; or mysteries such as mummifcation and conspiracy theories; or its religion and history.
