Ancient Egyptian Burials

Ancient Egyptian burials were very different from the types of burials we observe today. Ancient Egyptian mummification techniques may have been the gateway to the techniques of morticians today. While many of the time period simply buried dead bodies with little to no preparation, the ancient Egyptians had many ways of preserving and beautifying the dead. They believed that the soul would live on for all eternity only if the body was perfectly preserved.

Mummification was a long process that usually took around three months to complete. The only people who were allowed to perform mummification were priests, and every priest wore the mask of a jackal during the process. Anubis, the god of death had a jackal head with a human body.

First the body was washed and rubbed with fragrant oils and spices. Next, a hook was inserted into the nostril and all the way into the brain. The hook was then swirled around enough to dislodge the brain. It was the pulled out of the nostril and discarded.

The ancient Egyptians believed everything about a person was controlled by their heart, and therefore, the brain was considered to be useless.

Next, the body was opened up and the liver, lungs, stomach, and intestines were removed and placed in canopic jars in order to protect them during the journey in the underworld. The priest in charge of making the first incision into the body was known as The Ripper Up.

The heart was left in the body because the ancient Egyptians believed that once in the underworld, Anubis the god of the dead would place the heart on a scale with a feather. The feather was from the goddess Maat, goddess of truth and justice, to deem if the person had been good and virtuous in their life. If the heart was as light as the feather, the person would be taken before Osiris, the god of death and rebirth, and then be granted permission to enter into the afterlife. If the heart was heavier than the feather it was then fed to Ammut, the devourer. The soul would then be cast into darkness and never enter the afterlife.

After the organs were removed any cuts or incisions that had been previously made were sewn up. The body was then stuffed with scented rags, sawdust, plants, or linen to fill it out and make it look as lifelike as possible. It was then covered in a kind of powdered salt called natron, which dried out and preserved the flesh. A prayer was said over the body and it was left in the salt for 40 days.

The preservation was finished once the skin was as tough as leather. The dry desert climate of Egypt helped to preserve bodies from bacteria, mold, and decay.

Next, the body had to look presentable. Makeup was added to the face, the fingernails were manicured and painted with thin gold sheets. Sometimes small onions or stones were placed in the eye sockets to resemble eyes.Wigs or pieces on yarn were placed to resemble full healthy hair.

The corpse was then wrapped in strips of linen dipped in resin, which much like casts of today, would harden when dry. There were about twenty layers of fabric wrapped around the body. Good luck charms and magical symbols were wrapped in between layers for the purpose of warding off evil spirits and protecting the person in the afterlife.

A burial mask was created to resemble the person, so their spirit would be able to recognize the body even after it had been mummified. The mask was placed over the head of the mummy. A special case was also made to look like a life size version of the person.

The mummy was placed inside the case alongside the book of the dead, in case the person may need to reference it in the underworld.

Pets were very popular in ancient Egypt, and many had their pets mummified to go with them in their tomb. During some funerals multiple coffins were used. King Tut had three custom made golden coffins that nested inside of each other. The innermost coffin was made of solid gold.

It was common for more important people in society such as pharaohs to have larger, more elaborate funeral processions, with people paid to wail and mourn, a procession of many people, and even a banquet. It was believed the larger the funeral, the better chances of arrived successfully into the afterlife.

As soon as the person died the funeral procession began. The body was placed into a coffin and traveled by boat to the valley of kings, the famed burial ground for pharaohs. It was then taken to the Beautiful House, where the mummification process took place. Once the body was properly mummified and placed into a coffin, it was followed by along procession of servants and mourners all the way to the tomb site.

The servants carried all the persons important items they might need in the afterlife. This could include items such as toys, weapons, hobbies, instruments, food and drinks, decorations, and furniture. Some pharaohs were buried with statues called Ushabti, which were believed to become the person's servants in the afterlife.

Once they had arrived at the tomb, the priest would perform a ceremony called the opening of the mouth. The coffin would be stood upright while the priest would touch the eyes, ears, and mouth with a wand. This ceremony was believed to bring back the senses of the dead, allowing them to speak, breathe, eat, drink, move, breathe, and hear once in the afterlife.

Tombs were intricately hollowed out and decoratively carved using tools such as bronze chisels and wooden hammers. The inside of the tombs were carefully decorated and furnished. Images were artfully etched and painted into the rocks walls including figures of gods, animals, and scenes from nature. Paints were made by mixing up colorful minerals. Artisans would have different clothes and cosmetics specially made for the pharaohs in the afterlife. Creating a tomb took a minimum of two years, so tomb preparation usually started as soon as a new pharaoh took the throne.

With so many treasures sitting unused in a tomb, the prospect of tomb raiders was inevitable. In the valley of the kings, the tomb entrances were disguised to prevent this from happening. False entrances, secret passageways, and even traps were built in an attempt to stop tomb raiders. Unfortunately, nearly every tomb today has been ransacked by tomb raiders.

Thankfully the burial techniques of ancient Egyptians are not still being implemented today, and things like brain removal through the nose, forceful mummification of pets, and tomb raiders are no longer concerns for us.