When was mummification developed

It went on display at the British Museum in , becoming the first mummy to be exhibited in public, Witches were perceived as evil beings by early Christians in Europe, inspiring the iconic Halloween figure. Images of witches have appeared in various forms throughout history—from evil, wart-nosed women huddling over a cauldron of boiling liquid to hag-faced, cackling beings The Inca civilization, like other ancient Andean groups, practiced artificial mummification as a way of honoring their ancestors and preserving the connection between present and past.

The most important Inca mummies, including those of their emperors, were treated as The zombie, often portrayed as an undead, flesh-eating, decaying corpse, has enjoyed a popularity surge in recent years. Ancient Egyptians created animal mummies for various reasons. Some were household pets buried alongside their deceased owners, or other animals that held special importance to the humans around them. Some mummified animals were intended as food offerings to humans in the The werewolf is a mythological animal and the subject of many stories throughout the world—and more than a few nightmares.

Werewolves are, according to some legends, people who morph into vicious, powerful wolves. Others are a mutant combination of human and wolf. But all are The Devil, also referred to as Satan, is best known as the personification of evil and the nemesis of good people everywhere.

His image and story have evolved over the years, and the Devil has been called many different names in various cultures: Beelzebub, Lucifer, Satan and The history of chocolate can be traced to the ancient Mayans, and even earlier to the ancient Olmecs of southern Mexico.

The word chocolate may conjure up images of sweet candy bars and luscious truffles, but the chocolate of today is little like the chocolate of the past. They also hunted animals on land and gathered edible plants from the surrounding area.

Related: Desert dryness inspired mummy diversity. The Chinchorro practice of mummification began around 7, years ago, some two millennia before the first known Egyptian mummies, according to the same CNN report. Although the practice became more sophisticated over time, the basic process remained the same.

It involved the removal of soft tissue, organs and brains. The hollow body was then dried out and reassembled. The skin was stuffed with reeds, dried plants or other vegetal matter. Sticks were inserted into the arms and legs.

Clay masks were placed on the corpses' faces and wigs were often attached. The finished mummy was then painted. During the early phases of Chinchorro society about 7, — 4, years ago , mummies were painted with black manganese. From B. Not just the elite but all segments of Chinchorro society were mummified, including infants, children, adults and even fetuses.

It was in ancient Egypt, however, that mummification reached its greatest elaboration. The first Egyptian mummies appear in the archaeological record at approximately B. By the time of the Old Kingdom, or Age of the Pyramids ca.

It became a mainstay during subsequent periods, reaching particular heights of sophistication during the New Kingdom ca. Unlike in Chinchorro society, mummification in ancient Egypt was typically reserved for the elite of society such as royalty, noble families, government officials and the wealthy.

The head and neck were wrapped first, followed by the fingers and the toes, then the arms and legs were wrapped separately. The arms and legs were then tied together, and a papyrus scroll with spells from the Book of the Dead was placed between the wrapped hands.

Between each layer of wrapping the embalmers placed amulets to protect the body in its journey through the underworld; a priest also aided this journey this journey by reading out spells while the mummy was being wrapped. More and more linen strips were wrapped around the body, glued together at every layer by liquid resin. Once this had been done a cloth was wrapped around the entire body with a picture of the god Osiris painted on its surface.

Finally, a large cloth was wrapped around the entire mummy, attached with yet more strips of linen that ran from the top to the bottom of the mummy, as well as around its middle. After the wrapping was finished, the head of the mummy was covered with a portrait mask to make sure that the spirit would recognize it. The masked mummy was then placed in a series of gilded wooden coffins. At the funeral for the deceased a ritual called the 'Opening of the Mouth' is performed, believed to give the deceased the ability to eat and drink again.

It is only now, after all this that the mummified body and its coffins were placed inside a large stone sarcophagus in the tomb. Furniture, clothing, valuable objects, food and drink were arranged in the tomb for the deceased. After death, the pharaohs of Egypt usually were mummified and buried in elaborate tombs.

Members of the nobility and officials also often received the same treatment, and occasionally, common people. However, the process was an expensive one, beyond the means of many. For religious reasons, some animals were also mummified. The sacred bulls from the early dynasties had their own cemetery at Sakkara. Baboons, cats, birds, and crocodiles, which also had great religious significance, were sometimes mummified, especially in the later dynasties.

Ancient writers, modern scientists, and the mummies themselves all help us better understand the Egyptian mummification process and the culture in which it existed. Much of what we know about the actual process is based on the writings of early historians such as Herodotus who carefully recorded the process during his travels to Egypt around BCE. Present-day archaeologists and other specialists are adding to this knowledge.

The development of x-rays now makes it possible to x-ray mummies without destroying the elaborate outer wrappings. By studying the x-rays or performing autopsies on unwrapped bodies, experts are learning more about diseases suffered by the Egyptians and their medical treatment. A better idea of average height and life span comes from studying the bones.

By learning their age at death, the order and dates of the Egyptian kings becomes a little clearer. Even ties of kinship in the royal line can be suggested by the striking similarities or dissimilarities in the skulls of pharaohs that followed one another. Dead now for thousands of years, the mummy continues to speak to us. Ancient Egypt Egyptian Mummies. Process The mummification process took seventy days.

Who Was Mummified After death, the pharaohs of Egypt usually were mummified and buried in elaborate tombs. The Study of Mummies Today Ancient writers, modern scientists, and the mummies themselves all help us better understand the Egyptian mummification process and the culture in which it existed. Mummy Mask. Mummy Of Cat. Smithsonian American Art Museum Mask. Fragment Of Mummy Coffin Cartonnage.

Mummy Coffin Model Of Wood.