![]() ![]() Per Herodotus, "They first draw out part of the brain through the nostrils with an iron hook, and inject certain drugs into the rest" to liquefy the remaining brain matter. ![]() The procedure typically began by laying the corpse on a table and removing the internal organs-except for the heart. When people began to bury the dead in rock tombs, away from the desiccating sand, they used chemicals like natron salt and plant-based resins for embalming. Eventually, the idea of preserving the body after death worked its way into Egyptian religious beliefs. “But until now, we could only guess at what substances were behind each name.”Įgyptian embalming is thought to have started in the Predynastic Period or even earlier, when people noticed that the arid heat of the sand tended to dry and preserve bodies buried in the desert. “We have known the names of many of these embalming ingredients since ancient Egyptian writings were deciphered,” said co-author Susanne Beck of the University of Tübingen. A team of researchers used molecular analysis to identify several basic ingredients used in mummification, according to a new paper published in the journal Nature. Fortunately, science is helping fill in the gaps. But there are very few details about the specific spices, oils, resins, and other ingredients used. In addition to a text called The Ritual of Embalming, Greek historian Herodotus, in his Histories, mentions the use of natron to dehydrate the body. ![]() Most of what we know about ancient Egyptian mummification techniques comes from a few ancient texts. ![]()
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