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
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 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