Embalming Modern Mummification

Embalming and mummification are both processes to delay the decay of the body. In ancient Egyptian society, preserving a body after death was an important process necessary for entrance into afterlife existence, that is how mummification became important (1). Not everyone was mummified in Egypt, a complete mummification process were applied to people who could afford the costly treatment. Many members of nobility and upper class could receive the full treatment but if you where slave your chances where slim. Embalming was initiated during the civil war in the US, to make possible for the bodies of the soldiers to return home for a proper funeral. The funeral industry is very profitable they promote embalming as to increase consumer spending because in reality embalming is not mandatory by any health regulation or law (2). To embalm means to treat a dead body so as to preserve it, with chemicals, drugs, or balsams; also, to keep in memory and to cause to remain unchanged. However the embalmed body will decay faster than the mummified ones; decomposition depends on strength of the chemicals used, humidity and temperature of the final resting place (2). Embalming and mummification are physically invasive. In the mummification, process organs are taken out the body throughout this technique the body is covered and filled with different substances that help preserve the body and body parts from decomposing. For embalming, the corpse is punctured, cut, filled up with chemicals and sutured. They both use toxic chemicals so the person doing the procedure needs to use a mask, a jackal-head mask for mummification, they said (“in honor of Anubis” (1)). During embalming, the morticians have to wear proper personal protective equipment (PPE) to prevent harm from toxic fumes. After the embalming process, the funeral homes tried to mimic lifelike appearance by using oils, stuffing the orifices, waxing the skin, applying makeup and manicure. Also in mummies, they used oils and a stuffing mix because keeping lifelike appearance was the main purpose of the process (1). Mummies were wrapped up with strips of fabric, while we dress our loved ones for their final rest. Mummification and embalming both are lengthy processes that culminate with putting the body in an expensive burial container and elaborated ceremonies. Embalming is mummification in our modern world.