Verified Document

Mummification In Egypt Mummification Refers Term Paper

" (David: 165) Other important studies were conducted by J.E. Harris and K. Weeks (1973) and Harris and E. Wente (1980) and they provided "further information about mummification techniques such as arm position, presence of artifacts, and brain removal, as well as about age at death, aspects of genealogy of the royal family, and their dental conditions." (165) But humans were not the only ones who received this kind of treatment, sacred animals were also preserved using various techniques of mummification. Some animals were actually considered "incarnations of gods" (Owen). Animals were seen as spirits of gods as Owen (2004) explains "cats were seen as the incarnation of Bastet, goddess of music and joy and protector of women. The Apis bull, a sacred animal to the Egyptians, came to be known as the incarnation of Osiris, god of embalming and cemeteries. Likewise, ancient Egyptians associated hawks with Horus (the god of light), ibises with Thoth (the god of wisdom and learning), and so on."

For this reason, Egyptians would mummify millions of sacred animals such as cats, cows and birds. Since animals were mummified in vast numbers, it was felt their mummification process was probably not as sophisticated as that of animals. However it was later found that elaborate methods were used to preserve these creatures as well. According to a report by National Geographic magazine, researchers at the University of Bristol, England studied four animal mummies and found that "Chemicals detected in tissue samples from the animal mummies revealed the presence of various natural products found in human embalming materials used by the ancient Egyptians. These included animal fats, oils, beeswax, sugar gum, bitumen, and pine tree resins. The researchers found these products had also been applied...

Natron was used as the disinfectant and organs were usually removed to prevent internal decay. Heart was not removed however since it was considered the main organ of intelligence and hence sacred. Corpses were washed and wrapped in linen and bitumen was sometimes used for preservation. This was the practice during the Late Period and linen was normally provided by family of the deceased. Masks were used to cover the face of the deceased. Royal mummies were usually adorned with masks made of gold and silver while in other cases, wooden masks were also used.
Embalmers would use some tools during the procedure. These were simple ones consisting of a knife to make the incision, rods to remove brain and a wooden rod to remove internal organs. (Forbes, 1955)

Despite these simple tools, mummification was a sophisticated procedure and one that has inspired many modern researches. It has been a subject of much fascination among modern archaeologists and anthropologists since mummies provide important clues to ancient history, lifestyle, eating habits and practices.

References

Rosalie David. The Experience of Ancient Egypt: Routledge. London. 2000.

R.J. Forbes. Studies in Ancient Technology. E.J. Brill. Leiden, The Netherlands. 1955

E.O. James. Prehistoric Religion: A Study in Prehistoric Archaeology. Frederick A. Praeger. 1957.

Mummy" The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Columbia University Press. New York. 2004

James Owen, "Egyptians Mummified Animals Same Way as Humans" National Geographic News September 15, 2004

Sources used in this document:
References

Rosalie David. The Experience of Ancient Egypt: Routledge. London. 2000.

R.J. Forbes. Studies in Ancient Technology. E.J. Brill. Leiden, The Netherlands. 1955

E.O. James. Prehistoric Religion: A Study in Prehistoric Archaeology. Frederick A. Praeger. 1957.

Mummy" The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Columbia University Press. New York. 2004
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Opening of the Mouth Ceremony
Words: 821 Length: 2 Document Type: Term Paper

Moreover, it helps explain the practice of embalming and mummification, which restored a body that had been rendered into multiple pieces into a single whole, in a hope of defeating death. The bodies did not have to be dismembered in the mummification process, because death was a form of dismemberment. Osiris dies, but is reborn through the sky-goddess and becomes a god, himself. Osiris plays a role in the

Mesopotamia -- As the First
Words: 1730 Length: 6 Document Type: Essay

Parents who could not afford to send their children to school are left to teach their children everything they knew. Roman forums are described as the business center where people do their banking, trading, shopping and marketing. It is also the place where public speaking, festivals and religious ceremonies are held. It is also the center where people can express public opinion and elicit support for a particular issue

Creation Narrative Analysis of Genesis Myth or History or Myth and...
Words: 15782 Length: 50 Document Type: Term Paper

Creation Myth Analysis Case Study of the History of Biblical Creation Narratives What Is Myth? What Is History? Manetho Josephus Jeroboam Is Genesis 1:1-2:4 Myth? Is Genesis 1:1-2:4 History? Is Genesis 1:1-2:4 Both Myth and History? An Analysis of the Biblical Creation Narrative of Genesis 1:1-25 and Egypt's Possible Influence on the Historical Record God created the world in just six days, and rested on the seventh, but scholars have not rested at all over the millennia in their investigation of

Chinese First Emperor As With the Egyptian
Words: 1431 Length: 3 Document Type: Essay

Chinese First Emperor as with the Egyptian pharaohs, the tomb was a microcosm of the world that they knew in life, and filled with the objects that they would use in the afterlife. In early times, servants, soldiers, concubines and entertainers were even put to death so they could serve the monarch in the next world, although later these were mostly represented by statues and replicas. For the First

Society As if It Were
Words: 4861 Length: 13 Document Type: Essay

New scholarship suggests that Byzantine Empire was as successful as was Rome in shaping modern Europe (Angelov, 2001). Islamic Golden Age The Islamic Golden Age (also called the Caliphate of Islam or the Islamic Renaissance) was a center of government and political, cultural and religious traditions that arose in the early 6th century AD from the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed and reached its height between the 8th to 13th centuries

Contribution Ancient Egyptian Civilization Modern World
Words: 659 Length: 2 Document Type: Essay

ancient Egyptian civilization modern world. The contribution of ancient Egyptian civilization to the modern world: Architecture, medicine, and agriculture 'The grandeur that was Greece, the glory that was Rome.' The legacy of Greece and Rome to modern civilization has been well-documented, but the contributions of the ancient Egyptians have often been forgotten. Perhaps it is because their hieroglyphic language is less accessible than that of Greek and Latin or the government

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now