Mummies of ancient Egypt

A mummy is a body whose soft tissues have been preserved rather than allowed to decay. The ancient Egyptians are the most famous practitioners of deliberate mummification, which they developed because of their beliefs about death and the afterlife. They held that a person needed an intact body in which the spirit could continue to live, so preserving the dead was a religious necessity, especially for kings and the wealthy who could afford the elaborate procedures.

Mummification was a careful, lengthy process carried out by specialists. The internal organs, which decay quickly, were removed and stored separately, often in containers placed with the body. The body was then dried out using natron, a natural salt that draws out moisture, before being treated with oils and resins and wrapped in many layers of linen. Protective amulets were placed among the wrappings, and the finished mummy was laid in a coffin and sealed in a tomb, accompanied by goods intended for use in the afterlife.

Egyptian mummies are an extraordinary source of knowledge about the ancient world. Modern study, including X-rays and scanning, lets researchers examine a mummy without unwrapping it, revealing the person's age, health, diseases and sometimes the cause of death. The famous tombs of the Valley of the Kings and the largely intact burial of Tutankhamun show how richly royal mummies were equipped. Animals, too, were mummified in vast numbers as offerings, adding to what these preserved remains tell us about Egyptian religion and daily life.

Frequently asked questions

Why did the Egyptians make mummies?

They believed the spirit needed a preserved body to live on after death, so mummification was a religious requirement, particularly for kings and the wealthy.

How was a body mummified?

The organs were removed, the body was dried with the salt natron, then treated with oils and resins and wrapped in many layers of linen with protective amulets.

What can scientists learn from mummies today?

Using X-rays and scans they can study a mummy without unwrapping it, learning about the person's age, health, diseases and sometimes how they died.