One of the most spectacular artifacts housed at the World Heritage
Museum at the University of Illinois in Urbana is this mummy acquired in
1989 from a Chicago antiquities dealer.
The Ancient Egyptians mummified their dead. The priests of Egypt mummified their Kings and Pharophs. They mummified their dead because they believed the dead would travel to the everlasting life. Mummifying took about 70 days. First, the brain was taken out through the nostrils. Next, 4 other things were removed: the liver, the stomach, the lungs and the intestines. These organs then went into canopic jars. Then the body had to dry out for 40 days. To help the body to dry out, they would pack it with a salt called natron. Then the salt packing was removed and replaced with scented spices, linen, sawdust and sand to help it keep shape. Perfumed oils were also put over the mummy. The final process was wrapping it for burial. It was wrapped in layers of linen bandages. Last, they tucked amulets and jewels in the linen.
If you would like to learn more about mummies, you may visit the following websites.
