Egyptian Mummies - Preserving the Past

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In Ancient Egypt, preserving a body wasn't just about keeping it intact; it was about ensuring a soul's journey to the afterlife.

The Egyptians believed that if a body wasn't properly mummified, the soul couldn't enter the afterlife. They thought the Ba and Ka, two parts of the soul, needed to reunite each night in the physical body after the Ba spent the day exploring paradise.

The Ba and Ka had to return to the correct body each night. So, the Egyptians followed a detailed process to preserve bodies, making them easily recognizable to their souls.

• Curious about the mummification steps?

Here’s what they believed you needed.

Your Name Written Down

To ensure your soul's survival, your name had to be written down in as many places as possible. One key spot was on a nameplate called a cartouche, often found on or above your coffin.

A Preserved Body

Mummification, the process of drying out and wrapping a body in linen, was essential for preserving it. This allowed the Ba and Ka (parts of the soul) to find and reunite with the body each night.

Passing the Weighing of the Heart

Your heart was weighed against a magic feather in the Hall of Maat. If your heart was light, meaning you had lived a good life, you could enter the Land of Two Fields. If not, your soul would be lost forever.

Here's a cool fact: although the heart was weighed for its good deeds, it was usually preserved and placed back inside the body during mummification.

Ancient Egyptians also prepared grave goods, like clay figures, to do their work in the afterlife. Both rich and poor took steps to ensure their place in eternity, with the wealthy hiring professional mummy makers and the less affluent relying on natural preservation in the desert sand.

Continue to the Got It? section to explore these fascinating rituals and discover how the Egyptians prepared for eternity!