Transcript Mummy PowerPoint

The Mummification
Process
of Ancient Egypt
Daily Life in Ancient Egypt
~ Ankh ~
Ancient Egyptian symbol for “Life”.
Eye of Horus
Symbol of protection.
The “Eye of Horus” also represented the eternal renewal of
the kingdom from pharaoh to pharaoh.
The ancient Egyptians believed . . .
Just as the sun descended to its “death” each night, a person’s
spirit descended down to the underworld (Duat) when they
died. To the Egyptians, the underworld was not a “bad”
place but simply where your spirit continued to exist,
if
your life had been worthy.
Two Types of “Spirit”
Actually, the ancient Egyptians
believed there were two spirit
forces:
The Ka was the “life force” or
energy that every living thing
possessed. Ka left your body
when you died, but it could be
sustained on its own through
food and drink. That is why
the deceased were buried with
things a person might need as
they continued in their
afterlife.
Symbol for Ka
The game of “Senet”
Ancient Egyptians were buried with food & drink,
weapons, furniture – even games!
The
Ba
was something
like the soul of the
person and was usually
symbolized by a bird
with the head of a
human.
The Ba made it possible
for the deceased to
leave his tomb and rejoin
the Ka after his or her
death.
Egyptians believed that the most powerful part
of a person was his or her heart. The heart
was never removed from the body - it was
considered the center of being.
Osiris
Thoth
Anubis
Ammut
Horus
Ancient Egyptians also believed that when you died, your spirits joined and
appeared before a panel of fourteen judges who considered the actions of
your life. Anubis, an important god of the underworld, then weighed your
heart against the feather of Ma’at, the goddess of truth and justice. If the
heart was heavier than the feather, then the deceased had a heart that was
made heavy by evil deeds. Ammut, the crocodile-lion-hippopotamus god,
would devour the heart and the deceased would be denied an afterlife.
However, if the heart was not heavy, then the god, Horus, would lead the
deceased to join Osiris (god of eternity) forever.
The god, Thoth, recorded the outcome.
In order to have a body
in the afterlife, the
earthly body of the
deceased was
preserved through
the process of
mummification.
Mummy of Ramses II
Steps for Mummification
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Announcement of Death
Embalming the Body
Removal of Brain
Removal of Internal Organs
Drying Out Process
Wrapping of the Body
Final Procession
Announcement of Death
The first step in the mummification
process was to let people know of the
death. A messenger was sent out to the
streets to announce that the person had
died. This allowed people to prepare
themselves for a period of mourning and
religious ceremony.
STEP 2:
Embalming the Body
The second step was taking the
body to the embalming
workshop maintained by a team
of specialized priests.
Materials Used in Mummification
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Linen (cloth)
Sawdust
Lichen (moss; used for stuffing)
Beeswax
Resin (bitumen)
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Natron
(sodium bicarbonate & salt)
Onion (used in place of some removed organs)
Nile mud
Linen pads
Frankincense
STEP 3:
Removal of the Brain
The first part of the body to be removed was the
brain. Egyptians did not know the purpose of
the brain and didn’t think it was important.
To extract the brain, a hook was inserted through
the nose. The embalmers pulled out as much as
they could then put the brain in water to dissolve.
Some historians think the water was then thrown
out, but others think it was taken with the mummy
to the burial chamber.
Extraction of the Brain
STEP 4:
Removal of Internal Organs
Next to be removed were the internal organs:
the liver, the lungs, the stomach, and the intestines.
A small slit was made on the left side of the
abdomen, then the organs were removed . Each
of the organs was individually mummified and
stored in little coffins called canopic jars.
There were four canopic jars , one for each of
the organs. These jars were believed to be
protected by the four sons of the god, Horus.
Imset protected the liver.
He had the head of a human.
Duamutef looked after the stomach.
He had the head of a jackal.
Ha'py watched over the lungs.
He had the head of a baboon.
Qebehsenuef guarded the intestines.
He had the head of a falcon.
STEP 4 continued:
Removal of Internal Organs
Internal organs were removed to keep the mummy
dry and to prevent decay as much as possible.
Once the internal organs were removed, the
inside of the body was washed out with
palm oil, lotions, and preserving fluids.
Next the body was stuffed with linen, straw, or
other material to keep the general shape of
the deceased person.
STEP 5:
Drying Out Process
It was important to remove all moisture.
The body was covered with
natron
which was found naturally in
the dry desert.
(similar to baking soda and salt)
The body stayed packed in natron and taken
outside for at least forty days in order to
complete the drying process.
1
2
4
3
Embalmer’s Tools:
1. “Brain Hooks”
2. Oil Jar
3. Funnel
4. Embalmer’s Knife
STEP 6:
Wrapping of the Body
Hundreds of yards of linen cloth were used
to wrap the body.
Occasionally, the priests stopped the wrapping
process to say prayers. A final shroud was placed
on the mummy to keep all the wrappings together.
Mummia (resin) was then added to the shroud to help
preserve the mummy .
(That's how we get the word “mummy” and it is one reason
why mummies are dark in color .)
STEP 6 continued:
Wrapping of the Body
Amulets or charms and inscribed pieces of
papyrus were also placed between each
layer of bandage as the preserved body
was wrapped. Egyptians believed that
these charms had magical properties that
would protect the body.
Scarab (beetle) = Symbol of renewal
Wrapping the Body
One priest wore a mask of
the god, Anubis,
during the mummification
process.
Anubis was the god of
mummification and had
the head of a jackal.
It was his job to protect the
dead on their journey to
the afterlife.
STEP 6 continued:
Wrapping of the Body
The preserved body was then placed in a wooden coffin. The wealthier
the family of the deceased, the more elaborately decorated the coffin.
Very wealthy people were often buried in coffins within larger coffins.
STEP 6 continued: Wrapping of the Body
Coffins were decorated to look like the deceased person. A painted
portrait mask was placed over the mummy's head. These final
decorations helped the dead person's spirit (Ka) recognize its owner.
STEP 7:
The Final Procession
The last step of mummification was the final
procession where the family and friends of the
deceased walked through the town on their way
to the burial place. Mourners were even paid to
cry so that the gods of the other world would
see that the person was well -loved. The more
people cried, the more it would seem that the
deceased was loved and the better chance he or
she had of going to the after world.
STEP 7 continued: The Final Procession
Before the mummy was taken inside the tomb, a ceremony called
“Opening of the Mouth ” took place. The family recited
spells while priests used special instruments to touch different parts
of the mummy's face. The Egyptians believed that, through the
ceremony, the dead would be able to eat, breathe, see, and hear
in the afterlife.
STEP 7 continued: The Final Procession
The mummy was then laid in the burial chamber along with his
belongings, the canopic jars, and the Book of the Dead. The
Book of the Dead was not actually a book but a collection of over
200 prayers and spells written on papyrus. This book contained
instructions on how to achieve eternal life.
Sometimes the tomb itself was decorated with the prayers.
The tomb was then sealed.
Was everyone mummified in ancient Egypt?
No, only the pharaoh, his family, and other wealthy and important
nobles and officials. However, within the tombs of the ancient
dignitaries, archaeologists have found mummified animals!
Common people were buried in the hot, dry sand
which also served to preserve some bodies.
Thousands of
mummies have been
found over the
years.
Of course, pharaohs were mummified and buried with the
most elaborate preparation and ceremony of all.
Sarcophagus
Shabtis: The Pharaoh’s Servants
in the Afterlife
Pharaohs were buried with
small statues that the
ancient Egyptians
believed would come to
life and serve the pharaoh
in the afterworld.
The end.
Or is it the beginning . . . ?
Mummy of Pharaoh, Seti I