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Sunday 4 January 2015

Embalming

Ancient Egyptian priests became anatomists because of their belief in immortality. This included the conviction that, at some future point in time, the soul would re-enter the body to resume life after death. To make this possible, it was essential to preserve the body and its individual organs. To do so, the priests developed the art of embalming and the skill to carefully remove the various organs, which they then stored separately in jars.

Egypt’s method of embalming was mummification, a 40-day, and sometimes a 70 day process. The abdomen was cut open, the internal organs removed, and then the abdomen was rinsed with palm wine, before it was filled with perfumes, spices and oils. Then the physicians sewed up the body, washed it, wrapped it up in a flaxen cloth and placed it in a coffin. From this it is possible to see how Joseph could go on a long journey back to Canaan with his father's body.

When mummifying people, ancient Egyptians would pull the brain out through the nose.

The linen bandages that were used to wrap Egyptian mummies averaged one thousand yards in length.


While the ancient Egyptians may be the best-known mummy makers, they were far from the first. A very sophisticated fishing tribe called the Chinchoros, who lived on the north coast of what is now Chile, were embalming their dead as early as 5000 BC.

During the late 19th century, it was popular for wealthy families to host mummy-unwrapping parties—using real Egyptian mummies.

The same person, Desmond Henley, embalmed King George VI, Queen Mary, Judy Garland, Jimi Hendrix and AC/DC's Bon Scott.

Source The Bible Made Simple

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