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Funerary Customs in Ancient Egypt

Innovative Technology Used to Mummify Bodies

There are thousands of objects and items that have been discovered over time that were innovative ideas and pieces of technology that helped the mummification process during the rule of the Ancient Egyptians. These pieces of technology don't seem very innovative to us however during that era items like canopic jars and palm wine were seen as the most innovative ideas around. These items were... coffin, glue, linen?

Coffin

One of the main reasons bodies were kept in coffins was to protect the corpse from scavenging animals and tomb robbers. They also served an important religious role through their shape and decoration, which changed and developed over the whole of ancient Egyptian history

Canopic Jars

Canopic jars were jars that were most commonly made of wood, stone or clay. During the Old kingdom they were very simple plain jars in contrast to the New Kingdom which made their Canopic jars with heads on the lids and designs on the jar. These jars were quite large as they were used to store the internal organs of the mummified person and in that era were seen as modern ‘technology’. Why? Becuase a very skilled craftsperson woudl be required to make these jars especially as they became more complecated as time went on.

Glue

The glue was used as a protective, waterproof lining on rope baskets, containers, and embroidered fabrics, and was used to hold together utensils. It was also used to connect the pieces of the linean material that covered a mummified body. The glue was usually made from the boiling of animal hides, hooves and connective tissue.

Natron

Natron is mixture that is mostly made up of sodium and in this day and age is most commonly used for cooking. However, Ancient Egyptians used natron to dry out the corpse of the deceased person that was to be mummified. Natron would quicken the drying process so that the body could be easily removed of all the vital organs such as the liver, lungs and kidney.

Palm Wine

This commonly helped preserve bodies as it contained antibacterial properties. These ensured that theand free from diseases. This was most commonly the first step in the mummification process as it made sure that the body was clean (so it wouldn't rot) before it could be dried out and mummified.

Linean

Linen cloth was used as payment for labor, as trade-goods and as gifts and tribute to palace and temple. Linen varies in natural color from green to brownish, but the ancient Egyptians preferred white linen, which was achieved by bleaching (which was mens' work). All classes wore linen clothing.

Mummification Process

Mummification proccess made by Peggy Hammond

How did the Technology of the Time help preserve the Bodies?

The Ancient Egyptians were very lucky that they were able to invent and know how to use objects like coffins, linen, glue, palm wine, canopic jars and natron. Their advanced way of thinking allowed the majority of them to live in luxury in comparison to other communities at the time. Without the items they obtained they wouldn't have been able to preserve their bodies and we wouldn't have known as much of their era as we do now.

As mentioned previously there was a very specific process and material required to mummify bodies. Covering the corpse with Natron and Palm Wine was the most common (and hygenic) way to dry out the body so that further steps such as removing internal organs could take place. This step would have been very difficult for them if they couldn't dry out the body. The linen used to mummify the bodies was very crucial as it ensured that the corpse maintained a lifelike form. Finally, the canopic jars were essential as they ensured that the internal organs were preserved for thousands of years.

So, how have these innovative pieces of technology of the Ancient Egyptian era helped us? Well, due to the Egyptians' faultless methods of mummification we now know so much about how they lived and specific ranks in society. We have also been able to discover the diet, diseases and religious and funerary beliefs of certain aspects of civilisation in Ancient Egypt.

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