A mummy is a body of a living creature specially treated with a chemical substance, in which the process of tissue decomposition slows down. Mummies are kept for hundreds and even thousands of years, carrying the history of our ancestors, their customs and appearance. On the one hand, mummies look terribly scary, sometimes goosebumps run from one glance, on the other hand, they keep in themselves interesting story ancient world. We have compiled a list of 13 of the most creepy and at the same time the most interesting mummies ever discovered in the world:

13. Guanajuato Mummies Museum, Mexico

Photo 13. Guanajuato Mummies Museum - 59 mummies that died in 1850-1950 are on display [blogspot.ru]

The Guanajuato Mummies Museum in Mexico is one of the strangest and most terrible in the world, with about 111 mummies (59 of which are on display) that died between 1850 and 1950. The distorted facial expressions on some of the mummies indicate that they were buried alive. Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit the museum every year.

12. Baby mummy in Qilakitsoq, Greenland

Photo 12. Mummy of a 6-month-old boy in Greenland (Qilakitsoq township) [Choffa]

Another example of a living burial is a 6-month-old boy found in Greenland. Nearby, 3 more mummies of women were found, perhaps one of them is the boy's mother, with whom he was buried alive (according to the Eskimo customs of that time). The mummies are dated 1460. Thanks to the icy climate of Greenland, the clothes of that time are well preserved. In total, 78 pieces of clothing made from the skins of animals, such as seals and deer, were found. There were small tattoos on the faces of adults, but the face of a child is just awful!

11. Rosalia Lombardo, Italy

Photo 11. 2-year-old girl who died in 1920 from pneumonia [Maria lo sposo]

Little Rosalia was only 2 years old when she died of pneumonia in 1920 in Palermo (Sicily). The saddened father instructed the famous embalmer Alfred Salafia to mummify the body of Rosalia Lombardo.

10. Mummy with a painted face, Egypt

Photo 10. The mummy from Egypt is presented in british museum[Klafubra]

When we think about mummies, the first thing that comes to mind is Egypt. Many films have been made featuring these surviving corpses, which, bandaged in bandages, come back to life, attacking civilians. The photo shows one of the typical representatives of mummies (the exhibit is on display at the British Museum).

9. Christian Friedrich von Kalbutz, Germany

Photo 9. Knight Christian, Germany [B. Schroeren]

The photo shows the German knight Christian, an aura of mystery surrounds this terrible look of the mummy.

8. Ramses II, Egypt

Photo 8. The mummy of the Egyptian pharaoh - Ramses the Great [ThutmoseIII]

The mummy shown in the photo belongs to Pharaoh Ramses II (Ramses the Great), who died in 1213 BC. and is one of the most famous Egyptian pharaohs. It is believed that he was the ruler of Egypt during the campaign of Moses and is presented as such in many works of art. One of distinctive features mummy is the presence of red hair, symbolizing the connection with the god Set - the patron saint of royal power.

7. Skrydstrup woman, Denmark

Photo 7. Mummy of a girl 18-19 years old, Denmark [Sven Rosborn]

Mummy of a woman 18-19 years old, buried in Denmark in 1300 BC. From her clothes and jewelry, it can be assumed that she belonged to the family of the leader. The girl was buried in an oak coffin, so her body and clothes are surprisingly well preserved.

6. Ginger, Egypt

Photo 6. Mummy of an Egyptian adult [Jack1956]

Mummy Ginger "Ginger" is Egyptian mummy an adult male who died more than 5,000 years ago and was buried in the sand in the desert (at that time the Egyptians had not yet begun mummification of corpses).

5. Man Gallah, Ireland

Photo 5. Gallagh man buried in a swamp [Mark J Healey]

This weird look The mummy, known as the Gallagh Man, was discovered in a swamp in Ireland in 1821. The man was buried in a swamp wearing a cloak with a fragment of a willow branch around his neck. Some researchers believe he may have been strangled.

4. Man Rendsvuren, Germany

Photo 4. Man bog Rendsvuren [Bullenwächter]

The Rendswühren swamp man, like Gallach the swamp man, was found in a swamp, this time in Germany in 1871. The man was 40-50 years old, it is believed that he was beaten to death, the body was found in the 19th century.

3. Seti I - the pharaoh of ancient Egypt

Photo 3. Seti I - Egyptian pharaoh in the tomb. [underwood and underwood]

Seti I ruled 1290-1279 B.C. The pharaoh's mummy was buried in an Egyptian tomb. The Egyptians were skilled embalmers, so we can see their work in our time.

2. Princess Ukok, Altai

Photo 2. Mummy of Princess Ukok [

Egypt is a mysterious and beautiful country that attracts and surprises, makes you fall in love and frightens at the same time. Legends are made about her, films are made, songs and poems are written. Mummies remain the most majestic mystery to this day.

This article is intended for persons over 18 years of age.

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We all know about the curse of Tutankhamen or the mummy of Imhotep (who was a great scientist, architect and doctor) thanks to cult films and media publications. But what is a mummy? What is the difference between mummification and embalming? What frightens and impresses the researchers of ancient burials so much? Why were the dead in Egypt subjected to this procedure? We will try to find answers to all these questions.

A mummy is a human corpse treated with special agents, compounds and oils using ancient techniques and methods to maintain optimal conditions in order to stop the development of decomposition in the corpse. The very word "mummy", according to scientists, denotes a special resin, a kind of bitumen, which, according to most researchers, was used to process the body of the deceased.

Mummification is different from embalming in a number of ways. If in the first case the body of the deceased was treated with special drugs and dried, then in the second variant the main task was to stop the processes of tissue decomposition and leave the body as close as possible to that which a person had during his lifetime.

Many specialists from different areas. This knowledge is of particular value for:

• archaeologists;
• historians;
• physicians;
• anthropologists;
• chemists.

All of them explore different sides of the same phenomenon (living conditions, social and political processes, chemical compositions substances, analysis of the DNA of the deceased, what processes underlie the cremation of the corpse) trying to clarify dark sides and fill in the gaps in the question of how the dead were cremated and buried in those days.

How and why did they do it in ancient Egypt

Mummification in Ancient Egypt has a religious aspect, which is based on the belief that the pharaoh is of divine origin and his body must be preserved so that the soul can be reborn after death, find its body and recognize it.

It all started with the legend of the goddess Isis and her beloved Osiris, who was killed by Set, and parts of his body were scattered around the world. But the god Anubis (according to legend), with the help of Isis, found them, put them together, treated them with oils, wrapped them in a long cloth and breathed life into the dead body.

It was the belief in divinity, immortality, high social status and wealth that made it possible to mummify their bodies only to the wealthy classes in Egypt at that time. They belonged to:

• pharaohs and their relatives;
• approximate pharaohs (guards, advisers and assistants);
• priests.

Concerning ordinary people, then for a long time there was an opinion that they, in principle, have no soul, therefore they do not need this procedure at all. However, over time, the common population could also mummify their deceased relatives if they had enough funds and opportunities for this.

Researchers of burials and sarcophagi in Ancient Egypt say that in addition to the mummy of the deceased himself, the bodies of girls and wives (who, according to some rites, could be buried alive), stocks of food and drink, money, jewelry, and weapons are also found in the burial. This only confirms religious basis mummification, because the soul was given what it needed for a comfortable stay in the other world.

In addition, animal mummies are also found in burials. Especially often these are cats, which were especially honored in those days, were considered inviolable and lived at temples and palaces.

Mummification: stages and processes

Mummification as a physical phenomenon is a rather complex and long process, the secrets of which were known only to a certain number of people in ancient Egypt. In order to properly mummify a deceased person, knowledge of the structure of the human body, chemistry, physics and climatic conditions of a certain territory was needed, as well as the conditions necessary to bring the corpse into the desired state.

There are two types of mummification:

• natural (when the human body dries up, and does not decompose under the influence of certain climatic factors);
• artificial mummification (implies the use of special means to achieve the desired effect).

The first option took place when, after death, a human corpse was buried in the sand. It was the sand that absorbed all the moisture from the human body and did not give it the opportunity to decompose. And the constant high temperatures and winds dried the remains naturally.

As for the second option, here you need to more thoroughly understand all the processes and nuances in order to understand the meaning of how the whole process takes place. After death, the body of the deceased was taken to a special room, where the whole ceremony took place, which lasted 70 days. This figure is connected with the interweaving of religion and astronomy in the minds of that time: it is precisely this number of days that the star of Osiris is beyond the horizon and is not visible in the sky.

The most complete and reliable description of the process of cremation of the deceased can be found in the writings of Herodotus. He talks about all the steps and methods.

The first thing they did with the body was a special device (most likely it was an ebonite stick - a prototype of a modern scalpel, they made an incision in the inguinal zone in order to take out the insides). Everything was removed from a person, except for the heart, because it was in him, according to the beliefs of the Egyptians, that the soul lived. The removed parts of the body were washed with water and special compounds, oils and incense (most likely this was done in order to remove the unpleasant odor and destroy harmful organisms, which can start the process of decay).

Each organ (lungs, stomach, liver, intestines) was cleansed, treated with certain oils and infusions, and then immersed in vessels - canopies, where these parts of the body were kept. The lid of each vessel was made in the form of a certain deity, who was responsible for this or that inside.

As for the brain, it was obtained by a special method. With the help of a long hook through the nostrils or a special hole in the nose, they penetrated into the cranium and extracted the contents in parts. Another option - with the help of the same hook, the brain was liquefied (blurred), and then the body was turned over and it was poured through the nostrils.

When the internal organs were removed, the corpse was smeared with salt, oils and soda compounds and left for 40 days to dry. Soda and salt took moisture from the body, oils had a bactericidal effect, and certain spice compounds were used to remove unpleasant odors.

After the allotted time had passed, the remnants of the means used were removed from the body, it was coated with special compounds based on oils and bituminous resin. To give the dried remains a shape and volume, sawdust, sand, salt were placed in the cavity and the holes were sewn up. To make the mummy look like a dead person, they could put on a prepared mask or make up, make an imitation of eyeballs and teeth.

The last step was wrapping the body with bandages or long strips of cloth. They were soaked in resin, which was instead of glue, incense and oils. In order for the human spirit to be able to successfully reincarnate, gold jewelry, coins, pieces of papyrus were placed between the balls of fabric with a prayer for resurrection. Having completed all these stages, the finished mummy was handed over to relatives, who laid it in a sarcophagus (like a modern coffin), made in the form of a man, who was placed in the family tomb.

As you can see, the process of mummification in ancient Egypt was a very long and complex process that took a lot of time and effort, required certain knowledge and skills. The most famous mummies that have survived to this day are the remains of the priest Pa DiIsta, Tutankhamun, Ramses II, Seti I. All of them were carefully studied in order to understand all the nuances of life, the social system.

No matter how many secrets and horror stories surround the mummies of Ancient Egypt, they will attract the eyes and attention of scientists, travelers and hunters for prey.

The culture of ancient Egypt still excites the minds of many historians and is fraught with a huge number of unsolved mysteries. Even today, we still have a lot to learn from this mysterious civilization that believed that the soul of a dead person can leave his body during the day, but must return to it at nightfall.

Before the bodies of the dead Egyptians began to be mummified, they were simply buried in the desert. Later, for the especially rich and influential people began to build stone tombs, but in them the bodies decomposed rather quickly. This was unacceptable for people who firmly believe that after death their soul still lives in the body. Therefore, the ancient priests invented a unique technique of embalming, which was supposed to preserve the body of the deceased as much as possible so that his soul could return to it whenever it wanted.

At first, mummification was carried out exclusively with the bodies of pharaohs and priests. AT early periods the presence of a soul among commoners was generally in question. At a later time, from about 3400 BC. this procedure was carried out with the bodies of all those who had enough funds for it. In some tombs, animal mummies were even found, most often they were cats, which the Egyptians considered guides to the afterlife.

Conventionally, the Egyptian mummification technique can be divided into several types: for the poor, for the middle class and expensive mummification.

For the poor.

The oldest mummies were embalmed with bitumen. The solution was so mixed with the tissues of the body that it was practically impossible to distinguish any signs of a person during excavations. The bodies filled with bitumen are black and very fragile, so only a few specimens have survived to this day. Later, a more efficient technique was invented. All organs were removed from commoners, and in abdominal cavity poured radish juice. Then the body was placed in a solution of soda lye for 70 days, after which it was returned to the relatives for burial.

For the middle class.

For middle-class people, a more complex procedure was intended. Through a special tube, a large amount of cedar oil was poured into the body of the deceased. Then they sewed up all the holes so that the oil did not leak out. ahead of time, and the body was placed for some time in soda lye. At the end of the required period, the deceased was taken out of the alkaline bath and the oil was released from the intestines, which came out along with the insides. After such procedures, only skin and bones remained from the body.

Expensive mummification (for pharaohs and powerful people).

The first step is to extract all the viscera of the abdominal cavity and the brain. It is worth noting that nothing was thrown away, everything was neatly folded into special vessels - canopies. Then the abdominal cavity is washed with palm wine and rubbed with aromatic compounds. After these procedures, the empty body is filled with cassia, myrrh and other incense, after which it is sent to an alkaline bath for 70-80 days. After the expiration of the period, the body is wrapped with ribbons of linen linen and coated with gum. Only after all these procedures, the already finished mummy was placed in a sarcophagus and locked with all valuable things in the tomb.

When it comes to mummies, many people first of all remember ancient Egypt, the pharaohs, whose bodies survived until today, and the Hollywood blockbuster The Mummy. But in fact, mummies are not only Ancient Egypt and Hollywood. In our review, little-known, and sometimes simply incredible facts about mummies.

1. What is a mummy

A mummy is a human or animal body that has been preserved from decomposition by removing internal organs, treating with soda (sodium carbonate decahydrate) and resin, after which it was wrapped in bandages.

2. Mum means wax

The word "mummy" comes from the medieval Latin word"mumia", borrowed from the medieval Arabic "mūmiya" and from the Persian "mum" (wax), which meant an embalmed body, as well as an embalming agent based on bitumen.

3. Variety of mummies

Archaeologists have found many animal mummies including jackals, cats, baboons, horses, birds, gerbils, fish, snakes, crocodiles, hippos and even a lion.

4. Anubis

Some people wonder why so many jackal mummies have been found. The explanation for this is quite simple - the god of mummification was Anubis, the Egyptian god with the head of a jackal.

5. The art of mummification

The ancient Egyptians started making mummies around 3400 BC, but it took them almost eight hundred years to realize that if the internal organs were taken out, the mummy would be preserved and not rot. Over time, mummification became a very complex and lengthy process that lasted up to seventy days.

6 Herodotus Is The First Person To Describe Mummification

The first person to write in great detail about the process of mummification was Greek historian Herodotus. This happened after he visited Egypt around 450 BC.

7 Chinchorro Tribe

Despite the fact that mummies are almost exclusively associated with Egypt, the Chinchorro tribe of South America was the first to start making mummies. According to the latest archaeological evidence, the oldest Chinchorro mummies date back to the seventh millennium BC, twice as old as the first Egyptian mummies.

8. X-ray of a mummy

The first modern scientific examination of mummies began in 1901, conducted by professors of English language at the government school of medicine in Cairo. The first X-ray of a mummy was taken in 1903, when Professors Grafton Elliot Smith and Howard Carter used the only x-ray machine in Cairo at the time to examine the mummy of Thutmose IV.

9. Classic

Not all mummies were wrapped in the same position. For example, the vast majority of pharaohs were positioned in a prone position with their arms crossed over their chests. It is this position that is most often shown in films and popular media.

10. Osiris

According to Egyptian mythology, the god Osiris was the first mummy in history. However, his remains have not been found.

11. Afterlife hospitality

It is for this reason that after the mummy was all wrapped in bandages, it was covered with a special cloth with a painted image of Osiris. This was done so that the Egyptian god of the underworld was kind and hospitable to the dead.

12. If there was money

Many people mistakenly believe that only pharaohs were mummified. In reality, those who could afford it were mummified.

13. I'll take everything with me

The ancient Egyptians believed that things that were buried in the tomb along with the mummy would help the deceased in life after death. Thus, everything valuable to the deceased was buried with them. These were art objects, artifacts, treasures and jewels.

14. Protection against thieves

Protection from thieves was also provided - ancient Egyptian myths warned that a curse had been placed on the tombs and their contents that would strike all who entered them. It has been claimed that a number of the archaeologists who unearthed some of these burials were struck with total bad luck, and some even died under unusual circumstances.

However, these curses failed to prevent the looting of many graves and the theft of precious jewelry and other expensive items that "accompanied" the mummies to the afterlife.

15. Dubious fun

Besides, in Victorian era, unwrapping mummies has become a popular activity at parties. The hosts who held the dinner party bought the mummy, and the guests could unwrap it during the party.

16. Essential medicinal component

In Victorian times, mummies were considered an indispensable ingredient in many medicines. Most eminent doctors assured their patients that mummy powder or powdered mummies had amazing healing properties.

17. Ramesses III was afraid of reptiles

Ramesses III was afraid of reptiles. It is for this reason that his mummy was found wearing an amulet that was supposed to protect him from snakes in the afterlife.

18. Receptacle of intellect and emotions

The only organ that the ancient Egyptians left inside the mummy was the heart. At that time, the heart was considered the center of the centers of intellect and emotions - qualities that were needed by the dead and in the afterlife.

19. Profitable business

Mummies were a very lucrative business in ancient Egypt. In the process of preparing the mummy, many workers were used: from embalmers and surgeons to priests and scribes.

How much did mummification cost

In the notes of one of the Greek travelers that have survived to our time, for the most expensive mummification, one talent had to be weighed in silver. It was weight currency unit, which was equal to 30-32 kilograms of silver.

It was during the reign of Ptolemy. Not everyone could afford to mummify their relative properly, so various cost methods were used. Mummification would require linen or cloth, sodium carbonate decahydrate (soda lye), resin, frankincense, and various essential oils.

This is about $3,600 in today's money. Nowadays, it is also possible to mummify a deceased relative, only it will cost about $ 70,000.Embalming of pets is now the most common. This service costs from $7,000 to $100,000.

Mummification methods

According to all the canons, mummification was available only to wealthy Egyptians: pharaohs, nobility and merchants.

Herodotus described in detail the work of embalmers. First, the brain of the deceased was removed with a special hook, and the remains were dissolved by injecting various substances. Next, an incision was made in the lower abdomen and the insides were carefully removed. They washed and cleaned the abdominal cavity with palm oil, then filled it with incense, cassia, myrrh and sewed it up. Then the body was immersed in soda lye (sodium carbonate decahydrate) for 70 days. Then they took it out, wiped it, wrapped it in a bandage and rubbed it with gum.

For the middle class, there was a second, cheaper way to mummify. With the help of a special tube, cedar oil was injected into the abdominal cavity through the anus. To prevent oil from leaking out, the anus was plugged. Then the body was immersed for a certain period in soda lye. After the oil was released from the abdominal cavity. During this time, the oil decomposed all the internal organs. In fact, only the skin and bones of a person remained. The body was wiped, wrapped and handed over to relatives for burial.

For the poor, there was a third easiest way. Instead of oil, radish juice was injected into the abdominal cavity, and then also placed in soda lye.

For those who are interested in what soda lye is and how it is prepared, here is a link to Wikipedia.

Healing mummies

It is difficult to imagine, but since 400 AD. before late XIX For centuries, mummies, or rather their ashes, have been used as a cure for many diseases. Europeans considered natural bitumen to be the main healing ingredient. But the Egyptians used a special resin. It did not provide any medicinal properties.

Once upon a time, wealthy Europeans bought powder made from mummies. They really believed that it was a wonderful medicine. This trend continued until the 1800s. Instead of real mummies, the crushed remains of dehydrated human bodies were also sold. The powder was mixed with honey, and a sweet syrup was obtained.

Natural honey is known to be an excellent preservative. It does not deteriorate and is preserved. There are cases when people were mummified in honey, and then the bodies were used to treat all sorts of diseases. There are also many cases in history when priests or leaders were mummified in honey coffins after death to preserve the body.

It is known that the Egyptians raised animals specifically for further embalming. Of course, there were also ordinary pets. They were raised in designated places, killed and embalmed specifically for religious rites and offerings to the gods.

Many egyptian gods were embodied in the form of various animals. For example, the goddess Bastet was depicted with the head of a cat and the body of a man. Animals were buried in tombs or coffins that were dedicated to certain gods.

Animal mummification was similar to human mummification, but the process was much simpler and faster. Animal mummies were also sold as a commodity to people who wanted to make a sacrifice. A variety of animals were mummified.

Securing the afterlife

Mummification of the dead was an important part religious life Egyptians. The Egyptians believed that the body preserved in this way is necessary for entering the afterlife and further afterlife. It was believed that the physical body was needed to travel to the court of Osiris, who was the god of the afterlife. Anubis was considered the god of mummification. He accompanied the body on the last journey.

Their whole religion was based on the mystery of death and the afterlife. The process of burial and mummification itself was long and complicated. Many parts of the training required special skills that were paid for. So mummification influenced the economy of the state. The services of embalmers, artisans, builders, beauticians, hairdressers, etc. were required.

To look more natural, the mummies wore make-up different ways. Dried bodies took on an unpleasant color and shape, so they were completely painted. Men's bodies were painted red, and women's bodies were covered with yellow paint. Some parts of the body were also artificially made, such as eyes, hair, eyebrows, nails.

Also, the bodies of the pharaohs were covered with gold leaf and other decorations. Henna was used for tattooing and dyeing hair and nails. By the way, read the most interesting and amazing on our website.

natural mummies

The Egyptians did not immediately resort to mummification. The first mummies were created by nature itself. This requires special conditions in the form of dry wind and low humidity. The desert territories of Egypt are perfect for this. Dead bodies were in the sand in safety long years. This prompted the Egyptians to create mummies.

The Egyptians came to the complex process of mummification gradually. First, they learned to remove internal organs to slow down decomposition. In 3400 B.C. mummies began to be wrapped in linen from shreds or strips.