Mummification In Ancient Egyptian Culture

Mummies around the World
During the ancient era, mummification was common practice as a ritual after a human died. Several cultures including the Egyptians, Chinese, and Peruvians participated in mummification. Although these countries shared this ritual, the method in which it was done varied among the various cultures. The variance was based on traditions and cultural beliefs held by each country. Two common types of mummification exist which include: anthropogenic and spontaneous mummification. The difference between these two forms is that one is accidental mummification and the other is done by people as a tribute to the dead. Mummification around the world has always been a fascinating research topic of both anthropologists and archaeologists
and they continue to study mummies today.
The Egyptians were the first known people to practice the art of mummification.
This practice began around 4500 B.C, when the Egyptians first began artificially preserving the body after someone significant had passed away. It is believed that the Egyptians first began mummifying people due to their religious beliefs, but also naturally due to environmental factors. However, it is very important to note that the first mummies in the Egyptian culture were naturally created due to the environment which is called spontaneous mummification. The environment in Egypt was very dry, flat and sandy which combined most of the people who were laid to rest in shallow pit graves. As a result, the the bodies dried out and mummified. The process which the Egyptians used in order to mummify a body anthropogenically was tedious. First, they would take the brain out through the nasal cavity, by making an incision on the stomach, then would gut the inside of the entire body. Next, they would dry the organs by using canopic jars to soak the body parts, insert the heart back inside, and rinse
the inner body with fluids such as wine. Finally, they covered the body with salt and stuffed the body with material to hold its form. After seventy days, the Egyptians wrapped the body and placed the body in a sarcophagus. This long process took over two months and was often labor intensive on those who embalmed the bodies. The most famous mummies which have come from the Egyptian culture include King Tut, Ramses I and Ramses II. The Egyptians had a major influence on the mummification done by other cultures who also began practicing mummification. Once mummification was completed, it was typically placed inside of a tomb. The tombs were often filled with beautiful artifacts in honor of the deceased. Some of the artifacts included items such as meat, ceramic pieces and sometimes even small jewelry. The Chinese culture also practiced the technique of mummification. The most famous mummies from the Chinese culture are called Tarim mummies which were found in Xiang China. These mummies date back to approximately 1900 BC when the Chinese civilization first began to mummify human bodies. Scientists have thoroughly analyzed these mummies and have discovered that they most likely spoke indo-european languages. Another interesting aspect about the Tarim mummies is that they were Caucasian. This was an absolutely astounding discovery by archaeologists because it provides scientists with information about how one culture must have migrated from a completely different part of the world to Xiang China. Researchers think that they must have come from Europe. However, there is great debate about how these people must have arrived in Xiang China. Some researchers analyzed the DNA from these mummies and found that they were similar to European strands. This is exciting news for historians because it provides them with a better clue as to how the city began. The europeans must have been the first to inhabit this area in China, but the reason which they travelled all the way there is a mystery which scientists want to solve. Scientists have speculated the possibility that these people came to the Chinese region because they were trading with people from nearby regions. Anthropologists have found supporting evidence that the people were very skilled at making textiles and migrated to the new region where high demand for textiles existed. The Peruvian mummies are another well known group of mummies. These mummies date back to approximately 1438. This is surprising because it was only around 576 years ago that these people were mummified and are a significant part of ancient history. Another fascinating aspect of the Peruvian mummies is that both anthropogenic and spontaneous mummification occurred in this area. This was similar to what happened in Egypt due to the environmental factors that caused spontaneous mummification. In this region people were naturally mummified due to the harsh winter weather conditions, cold temperatures and high speed winds. They also participated in anthropogenic mummification, which was done by a specific class of workers. Peruvian workers must have used a very similar style used by Egyptians, but a lack of evidence does not prove the presumed similarity in their anthropogenic method. The unique aspect about the Peruvian mummies is that most were actually burned by one of the great emperors, Pizzaro. He dictated that his people burn all of the mummies that they could find. This was most likely because of his religious perspective and devout belief in Catholicism. The Spaniards reaped havoc on this city and as a result, a great amount of valuable and important information has been lost throughout the years. One of the most famous mummies discovered from this region was named Juanita. She was discovered on the plateau of a mountain top and was in pristine condition. Juanita was a young girl which propagated researchers to analyze why she became a mummy at such early age. One could understand why an individual in her mid 40’s would be mummified, but a young child is unheard of. After excavation of the site, they discovered that there were two others buried nearby and concluded that it must have been the form of an offering to a supernatural being or a God. The excellent condition of bodies made these mummies very significant to anthropology. They were found in immaculate condition and which allowed researchers to examine these bodies for information about their past history. The civilizations in the ancient world practiced mummification up until the 1400s.
The first people to begin the practice of mummification were the ancient Egyptians. Their process took over 70 days to finish a mummy. Then, the mummy was laid inside a sarcophagus, which was typically painted and decorated. Their technique was meant to honor the person that had deceased. The tombs which the mummies were placed in were made to honor and protect the body at rest. Artifacts were often placed inside the tomb, such as necklaces and stones. Speculation exists as to why the people of different civilization would take the time to preserve a body because not all mummies are famous people. Although they were not all famous, most mummies came from wealthy families who could afford paint and materials necessary for embalming. The Egyptians set a trend for other cultures which began to mummify bodies. The Chinese soon began to mummify bodies as well. The most famous Chinese site is Xiang, China where several mummies are found. Based on the DNA which was recently tested in a laboratory, scientists determined that these mummies must have come from Europe. This discovery is monumental as it indicated that they were Caucasian. Scientists had previously believed that Asians had first come to this part of the region but this strongly questioned that theory. The Peruvians also mummified bodies and developed methods of burial. Some of the Peruvian people were mummified due to the
mountainous environment. Due to heavy amounts of snow and wind, the bodies were buried underneath and preserved by the snow and wind. These bodies were recently discovered in excellent condition. The Peruvian girl named Juanita is an important part of the discoveries due to her young age and the condition archeologists found her in. Perhaps anthropologists can discover her cause of death from studying her body. If other young mummies are found nearby, scientists may have evidence for a historical discovery such as a non documented plague. Discoveries mummies have told us a great deal about the science and culture of ancient history in several countries in different regions of the world. As anthropologists continue to uncover new mummies, science and history will evolve, giving everyone further knowledge of the world.