For Egyptians, it was very important to get into the afterlife. Mummification ensured a passage of the soul into the spirit world. The Ancient Egyptians thought that the body was made up of three parts - the ba(body), ka (spirit guide), and the akh. The akh was the soul, and it flew away from the body at death, flying around the world during daylight and taking refuge from evil spirits in the tomb at night. The akh would need to be able to recognize it's body to fnd it's tomb, so the Egyptians found a way to preserve the body, mummification.
The mummification process took 70 days. The first step in the process was the removal of the deceased's internal organs. The body was placed on a narrow table. The Egyptians did not value the brain for anything, so it was removed through the nose with metal hooks and discarded. Next, the liver, lungs, stomach and intestines were taken out through a slit in the left flank. These organs were put in four special jars. These jars were the canopic jars, and each jar's lid was modelled like one of the four sons of Horus - Imseti, Hapi, Duamutefla and Qebehsenuef. These deities would watch over the organs. Only the heart was left in the body, because the Egyptians believed that it controlled everything and that you would need it in the spirit world.
Next, small parcels of natron were put in the body. This, combined with the hot weather of Egyt, dried out the corpse. Once all the moisture from the body was evaporated, the natron packs were removed and the corpse was carefully sponged. Then, it was rubbed with special ointments, and the body was filled with wads of linen aso soaked in the same resins. The body was now ready to be bound as a mummy.
First, linen was wrapped around the arms and legs seperately, and sometimes the fingers and toes as well. Then the entire body was wrapped entirely in around twenty layers of linen sheathes. Every few layers would be covered in a sticky gum commonly used as glue, so the linen would stick. Several yards of linen would be used in the wrapping of the mummy. Also, amulets would be wrapped into the linen to protect the body. The mummy was then fitted with a death mas, painted to look like the deceased before death. The mummy would then have a funeral procession, where people would morn the person's passing, and the opening of the mouth ceremony would be performed to let the mummy hear see, eat and drink in the afterlife. Finally, the mummy was placed in it's sarcouphagus and put into its tomb to rest for eternity.
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