A Lesson in Mummification

We are studying the ancient Egyptians. Last week the children learned about the mummification process. And what better way to find out about it, than to mummify your little brother (a.k.a. King Harris the Pharaoh).




First, the body was washed with wine and spices by professional embalmers; it was then rinsed with water from the Nile. After the body had been washed, all of the parts that might decay were removed.


The first organ to be removed was the brain. The embalmers used a long hook to smash the brain and pull it out through the nose!

The removed internal organs (lungs and liver pictured above) were packed in natron (salt), before being wrapped in linen. Earlier mummies were buried alongside their dehydrated organs, which were stored in solid wood or stone jars.

The next step was to restore the body to as lifelike state as possible. It was stuffed with dry materials such as sawdust, leaves, and fur to fill the cavity and make the preserved corpse regain the shape it had in life.

After forty days the body, now completely dry and shrunken, was washed with water from the Nile. Oil and fragrant spices were then added both inside and out to keep the skin soft and elastic.

The nose was plugged with wax (we imporvised with crayons).


Make-up was applied.

Hundreds of yards of linen were used to wrap the body, and each toe and finger was wrapped separatley. Charms, amulets, and inscribed pieces of papyrus were placed between each layer of bandage. Egyptians believed that these charms had magical properties that would protect and bring luck to the body.

Then a painted portrait mask was placed over the mummy's head so that dead person's soul (Ka) could recognize its owner. The priests used special instruments to touch different parts of the mummy's face. The Egyptians believed that the mummy would not be able to eat, see, hear, or move in the afterlife if this ceremony did not take place.

It was an interesting history lesson for our family. The ancient Egyptians believed that all of this had to happen in order for the pharaoh to live again in the afterlife. As Christians, we know that everyone has an afterlife. Whether a king or a slave, it is our decision to call upon the name of the Lord Jesus that will determine where we will spend it.