By Jessica Olmstead

Mummies

Where to find MummiesMummification IntentionalMummification AccidentalBurial GroundsTypes of People MummifiedPersonal ReflectionBibliography

Table of Contents

Mummies vary in location, across the Earth, due to natural and accidental mummification.

Peru, China, Egypt, and Italy are the most prominent areas to find mummies.

Where to Find Mummies

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In Egypt, embalmers would mummify the dead so that the dead person could successfully survive in the afterlife. Royalty would often be buried with their favorite servants and pets. Also, their tombs contained food, gold, and a ship to gain them safe passage through the river of death.

Mummification - Intentional

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EmbalmingThe first step of mummification is to wash the body with water from the Nile. Then you remove major organs, such as the lungs and heart, and place them in jars. The body will dry out for 40 days. After 40 days, the embalmers will cover the body with sweet smelling oils, and stuffed with dry items.

Starting with the neck and head, the body is wrapped. The mummy will wear a sacred amulet. After the book of the dead is read, the body is completely wrapped and put into its first coffin then the second. The funeral is held and the mummy, completely dressed, will be put in the sarcophagus, then the tomb.

Mummification- Intentional 2

Wrapping

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In other parts of the world mummification was also used as a sacred act. The Buddhists would starve themselves for three years, and would be surrounded by candles until they dried out from the heat. The body would mummify itself and they would put the body in a tomb. In South America, the Paracas would bundle the body into a seated position and move them to a huge chamber, called Necropolis. These chambers had parrots, deer, and foxes.

Mummification– Intentional 3

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Many times, nature has led to people dying and their bodies being preserved for years. Glaciers, earthquakes, mudslides, volcanic eruptions, and tar pits have led to thousands of bodies to be mummified.

Mummification - Accidental

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Mummification – Accidental 2Dinosaurs trapped in

tar pits would leave excellent fossils

When Mount Vesuvius erupted in Italy, the cowering victims were mummified into the crevices of buildings

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Burial Grounds

In Egypt,

mummies were

placed in tombs,

such as this.

Pyramids were

erected for the

Pharaoh's tomb.

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From monks to Pharaohs, many different people have been mummified. Cats, dogs, and horses have been preserved for years. By mummifying, the body will stay intact and can be used for research.

Types of People Mummified

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In doing this power point, I learned a lot about using the power point program. At first, I didn’t know where the background designs were but finally found them. Also I learned to actually look at the tabs, they are quite useful. But the most interesting thing I learned was that not only the Egyptians used mummification. Nature uses it to preserve our history.

Personal Reflection

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« Ancient Egyptian Pet Mummies." Intense Zone. Web. 6 Feb 2010. <http://intense-zone.com/wp-content/uploads/Ancient_Egyptian_Pet_Mummies_01.jpg>.

Deem, James. "Egyptian Mummies." Mummy Tombs. 04 Jan 2010. James M. Deem, Web. 6 Feb 2010. <http://www.mummytombs.com/main.otzi.htm>.

"Dino Bones." Answer in Genesis. Web. 6 Feb 2010. <http://www.answersingenesis.org/assets/images/articles/2008/05/geology-brochures/dino-bones.jpg>.

"Italy - Mt Vesuvius Victim." National Geographic. Web. 6 Feb 2010. <http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/places/images/ga/italy_mt-vesuvius-victim.jpg>.

Missy Fryre. Web. 6 Feb 2010. <http://www.missyfrye.net/Hoyeya/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/burton_45.L.jpg>.

"Mummification." The World of Ancient Egypt. 2002. Think Quest, Web. 6 Feb 2010. <http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0215615/mummification.htm>.

Bibliography

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