Upon death, the body would be carried to the Ibu, or the ‘Place of Purification’, where it would be washed in river water. Working class people were treated with an alternative method of preservation that involved liquidizing the internal organs with cedar tree oil, draining them out through the rectum and then placing the body in a salty substance called natron to dehydrate it.Įmbalming took place in the Red Land, a desert region away from the heavily populated areas and with easy access to the Nile. This was an expensive process that took about 70 days to complete, so only the very rich could afford it. With this method, the internal organs were removed, the flesh dehydrated, and then the body was wrapped in linen strips.

The most complicated mummification process was developed in about 1550 BCE, and is considered the best method of preservation. The first mummies in Egypt date back to approximately 3500 BCE.īefore that time, all citizens regardless of social status were buried in desert graves, which allowed natural preservation to occur through dehydration.Īn artificial method known as mummification process was then developed that would ensure even better preservation and allow bodies to be kept within tombs.

To prevent the body decaying, it underwent a lengthy and gruesome mummification process.ĭeveloped and refined over millennia, it allowed Ancient Egypt to produce some of the best-preserved mummies in the world, and we can now gaze upon the faces of men, women and children almost exactly as they were more than 2,000 years ago. The deceased’s body also had to preserved, as the Ancient Egyptians believed the soul (ba) and life force (ka) had to return to it regularly to survive. Why did Ancient Egyptians mummify their dead?Įternal life wasn’t just about preserving the spirit. The mummification process was able to produce mummies that would last for eternity.

What is a natron ancient egypt