As museums in Europe oppose the use of word ‘mummy’, its origins and history

The World History Encyclopedia website notes, “The English word mummy comes from the Latin ‘mumia’, which is derived from the Persian ‘mum’, meaning ‘wax’ and refers to an embalmed corpse which was wax-like. The idea of mummifying the dead may have been suggested by how well corpses were preserved in the arid sands of the country.”

Mummification is the process of preserving the body after death by drying or embalming flesh. It usually involved removing moisture from a deceased body and using chemicals or natural preservatives, such as tar and resin to desiccate the flesh and organs.

Why did the Egyptians mummify?

The Egyptians believed it was possible to live after death, and the body was important as a place where the soul could rest. The mummified body was considered the home for the soul or the spirit, and it was believed if the body was destroyed, the spirit might be lost.

The idea of “spirit” itself involved the ‘ka’, the spiritual double of the person that would require offerings; ‘ba’, or the personality that was free to fly out of the tomb; and the ‘akh’ or the spirit that would travel and seek an afterlife. The corpse or ‘khat’ was therefore especially prepared for the afterlife, so that it was not merely a dead body but also an artefact prepared for life after death.

The history of mummification

It is believed that the earliest mummification in prehistoric times was an accidental process, since Egypt had little rainfall and dry sand and air. The corpse was often placed in a sleeping fetal position in a pit along with personal items such as clay pots and jewellery. Intentional mummification, which involved elaborate preparation, began around 2600 BCE, during the Fourth and Fifth Dynasties, and continued till the Greco-Roman period. Since it was an expensive and long process that constantly evolved, only the rich could afford it.

The Canadian Museum of History website notes that the art of mummification was perfected in the Third Intermediate Period (1070-712 BC). It quotes Greek historian Herodotus documenting the process around 450 BC (Late Period), where he states, “As much of the brain as it is possible is extracted through the nostrils with an iron hook, and what the hook cannot reach is dissolved with drugs. Next, the flank is slit open . . . and the entire contents of the abdomen removed. The cavity is then thoroughly cleansed and washed out… Then it is filled with pure crushed myrrh, cassia, and all other aromatic substances, except frankincense. [The incision] is sewn up, and then the body is placed in natron, covered entirely for 70 days, never longer. When this period… is ended, the body is washed and then wrapped from the head to the feet in linen which has been cut into strips and smeared on the underside with gum which is commonly used by the Egyptians in the place of glue.”

Some of the most famous Egyptian mummies

Even though mummies are still being discovered – including 10 mummified crocodiles discovered in an ancient Egyptian tomb last week – some mummies are more well-preserved and famous than the others. Perhaps one of the most celebrated mummies in the world remains that of “King Tut”, discovered in his tomb by British archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922 in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. The king’s head was dressed with a golden mask, jewellery and amulets, and found in the accompanying rooms were furniture and other objects.

The other famous mummies include the mummy of Hatshepsut, considered Egypt’s greatest woman pharaoh, identified in 2007; and the mummy of Ramesses II, the most famous pharaoh in the New Kingdom, that was discovered in 1881 and is now in Cairo’s National Museum of Egyptian Civilization.