Ancient Egypt
The importance of Mummification
What was the Importance of Mummification in Ancient Egypt?
The importance of mummification in Ancient Egypt was very great. Mummification was the process of preserving a dead body to make sure it was safe for the afterlife.
Mummification evolved from just burying corpses into the sand to placing them into wooden coffins(sarcophagus). The coffins were problematic because the body still decomposed quickly so the embalmers had to start wrapping the deceased person in bandages. That didn't work out either so the embalmers had to develop the perfect mummification process that could work without failure.
Mummification was used to safely guide the dead person's soul to the afterlife. Many pyramids were constructed to help with this journey for the pharaoh(Egyptian leader). If the body was safely preserved it would be more likely that it would reach the afterlife.
The process of mummification was first used in 2750BC for rituals and ceremonial purposes. The rich were put into a sarcophagus and safely preserved, while the poorer were simply buried into the sand. Sometimes servants were buried with their owner or pharaoh.
Many other living things were also preserved. These included cats, baboons, birds, crocodiles, bulls, dogs, rams, foxes, jackals, cows, snakes and ibis. They were preserved because most of them were sacred and were associated with the gods.
The importance of mummification in Ancient Egypt was that you could enjoy or have a second chance at life in the afterlife. It was also important to the Egyptians because it was related to their religion and it was associated with the god 'Anubis'.
To conclude this essay, mummification played an important part in the daily lives of Ancient Egyptians in their religion. When people think about Ancient Egypt the first thing that comes to their mind is 'Mummification'.
References:
The story of mummies, Author: Penny Clarke
History Mysteries, Mummies, Author: Paul Mason