It is known that in Ancient Egypt They mummified the bodies, in a transcendental ritual for that culture. But what was not known was how they made the mummiesthat substances used and what were the procedures developed. A recent investigation ended the mystery after the analysis of 121 vessels that were found in Cairo.
Scientists identified the elements implemented in the embalming and development of the mummies thanks to a recipe they found in a workshop that was nearly 2,600 years old. It is a process that lasted approximately 70 days and whose objective was to dry and preserve the bodies of a few selected deceased. Within this framework, Egyptian and German researchers detailed the procedure, arousing the interest of the entire scientific community and the general public.
How were mummies made in ancient Egypt?
As revealed by the group of scientists, different combinations of substances which included resins, vegetable oils, animal fats and fragrances. Each of these ingredients were used according to each part of the body and most of them came from remote regions, such as Southeast Asia. Thanks to the labels, the use of pistachio and juniper or cypress resin was identified, as well as beeswax, all of them applied to embalm the head, wash the body and soften the skin.
They also found remains of damar and elemi -plant species that only grow in tropical environments- and of bitumen, probably from the Dead Sea. The rest of substances found became old and degraded residues, so that the chemical analysis could only give clues about what used to be inside the vessels.
In it Ancient Egyptthey just happened to be mummies who made up the great Egyptian aristocracy, pharaohs and the most important people of the court. The vast majority of individuals did not undergo these processes, long and expensive, with substances exclusive, but rather they were buried in the desert and went through a process of natural mummification.