Mummification process, required to sustain the body of man or animal. This can be a spontaneous process, or it can be tailor-made. Egyptian mummies were made by drying. The Egyptians had dried up the body using the salty mixture called 'oxide sodium'. It 'oxide sodium' is a natural substance that is common on the river Nile. 'Oxide sodium' consists of four salts: sodium carbonate, acid sodium carbonate, sodium chloride, and sodium sulfate. Sodium carbonate works as a drying agent 'pulling' water from the body. At the same time bicarbonate in the presence of moisture increases the pH, which creates a hostile environment for bacteria. Egyptian climate has provided a lot of favorable conditions for the mummification process.



The Egyptians believed that there were six important aspects, which amounted to man: the physical body, shadow, name , ka (spirit), ba (personality), and akh (immortality). Each of these elements played an important role in the formation of the individual. Each was required to achieve a Renaissance in the afterlife.

Except akh, all of these elements are attached to a person at birth. The shadow of a man was always with him. Man could not exist without a shadow, like a shadow without man. The shadow was portrayed as a small person, painted entirely in black.

The man's name was given to him at birth and will exist until it's pronounced. That's the change that was applied great efforts to protect and save the name. The sarcophagus was used to store the name and protect it forever...

Ka was the twin of a person, that is what we call the spirit or the soul. Ka was created at the same time as the physical body. Doubling is to "wheel of God Khnum". Ka existed in the physical world and was in the grave. It was just as important as the need for food and drink. The Egyptians were left in the graves of deceased products, alcoholic beverages, and worldly possessions for ka. To Ka used them in the afterlife.

Ba can be described as someone's personality. Like the human body, every ba was unique in each person. He moved in a person's body after his physical death, and easily moved between the physical world and the afterlife. Ba had the ability to take different forms.

Akh was the aspect of a man who wanted to join the gods in the afterlife, to become immortal. It was created after the death of the Holy text and prayers written letters designed to increase force akh. Once this is achieved, the individual will have the opportunity to second life after death, which will mean only the end of physical life.

Undamaged body was an integral part of the afterlife person. Without a physical body had no shade, no name, no ka, ba, or akh. The Egyptians believed that mummification provide a revival in the afterlife.

From may 21 to June 25, 1994, a group of scientists from the University of Maryland and the long Island University performed the first human mummification for almost 2000 years. They used the technology of the ancient Egyptians, embalming funds hundred fine Egyptian linen cloths, more than 600 pounds of sodium oxide, frankincense and myrrh, cedar oil, palm wine, and natural resins. Mummification was in the University, Military medical school Maryland in Baltimore.

The two men responsible for giant leap back in time - Ronn Wade, senior for anatomical studies at the University of the Military medical school Maryland in Baltimore and Bob bri?re, Egyptologist long Island University. Their mummy called Mumab . According to the Conference, Mumab was checked after and during mummification and will keep its form, at the same time as the rest of the mummy can lose the form. Unlike ancient mummies, this has a medical history, past, present, and future. Let's see what they have done and learned from Mumab.

For some time Ronn and Bob was looking for a suitable donor. They had a list of requirements that have to be satisfied by donors. They were looking for the average human specimen, one that could be compared with the average Egyptian. It had to be someone, who donated his body to science and was available for the process of mummification, which occupies a lot of time... It must be someone who was never exposed to any disease, and never endured the operation. Death had to occur due to natural causes. No matter man or woman. Fortunately, such a donor was found. It was an old man from Baltimore, who died from a cardiac arrest. Ancient Egyptian mummification process took 70 days. After this period, this elderly man from Baltimore will be Mumab.

In light of the fact that the Ancient Egyptians told us in countless texts and pictures related to almost every aspect of their civilization, it strange that they left such holes in our knowledge. For example, we know very little about how the pyramids were created, or how the obelisks were raised. Like these mysteries, the ancient Egyptians did not tell us anything about the process of mummification. Perhaps it was considered so secret, and it was entrusted to a few orally.

One surviving written report regarding the mummification, was created by Greek historian Herodotus, who visited Egypt in about the year 450 BC. He described how the Egyptians kept their dead. But even with evidence of Herodotus, many questions remained unclear. Much of the report-writing Herodotus process of mummification surface and is open to speculation. For example, as the Egyptians used 'oxide sodium'in order to dry the body. Some fragments said that the body "etched in solution "oxide sodium". This technique would require large tanks for impregnation of corpses. This assumption has not received any evidence. Instead, there is an evidence of the presence of a wide tables used for the drying process. But there's never been clear why these tables was the size of almost six feet across, were wide enough to fit two of the corpse. On these and other issues, the scientists said in the mummification process Mumab.

The first step in creating modern mummy: the need to collect the tools and components that will be needed for the process. Silver prints created an exact copy of the Egyptian embalming tools. The foreman of carpenters was recruited to create authentic style for embalming, similar to one found in an Egyptian tomb. The ceramics Department of the University is authorised to make all vessels necessary for the process. Each was marked characters to indicate its function, This Department also did ritual vessels, and 365 ushabtis (figures spiritual workers to work on that light at his master for each day of the year).

A trip to Egypt was necessary to collect spices and oils that will be used. Bob went to the river Channel Natrun area between Cairo and Alexandria, where he collected more than 600 pounds (270 kilograms) of sodium oxide, which will be needed. Here, the river Nile nourishes several lakes, the level of which both increase and decrease each year, leaving large deposits of rock salt on the shore. It 'oxide sodium' was used to dry the body. According to the Conference, "options "oxide sodium" is to get the water out of the fabric: if in the tissues is no water, the body will not decay".

It's time to start. Ronn and Bob moved elderly man from Baltimore to his "tent cleaning", which in this case was room School of Medicine in Baltimore. Here, the body was washed with a solution of "oxide sodium" and water. To dry the body, internal organs had to be removed.

The first remote organ was the brain. The Egyptians believed that the brain was of little importance, and it can be removed. Again we use the explanation of Herodotus. He States that the brain was removed, after piercing the bone at the top of the nostrils, the ethmoid bone. A large bronze needle hook or spiral end was used to perform this procedure. However, it was not clear how such a big body was removed through a small hole. It is thought provoking that the Egyptians put the hook through the nostrils, and the brain could be extracted in parts. Proved very difficult to remove the brain in this way. Ronn and Bob was improvising. In the corpse lying on the back, they put a hook nose, and managed to stir brain tissue in almost a liquid substance. Then they turned the corpse on my stomach and turned into liquid brain tissue, poured through the nostrils. Palm wine and incense used to wash and clean the cavity of the skull.

Following the instructions of Herodotus, the next step was the removal of internal organs.

Herodotus described round black seeds for opening the abdominal cavity. It is accepted that this bone was made of obsidian, black volcanic glass. It is suggestive that obsidian was used for ritual purposes. But, this material could have been used just because it was the best material available for cutting of human tissue. A small incision was made on the left side, through which the internal organs were removed. The heart is the only organ that the Egyptians were left intact because it was considered "receptacle" the human soul. After removing the internal organs were washed with frankincense, myrrh and VIMr. Palma. They would have to be dried after use 'of sodium oxide'. After they were individually suspended, the bodies were kept in special vessels, called ritual vessels. Long ritual vessels had the form of heads of the Egyptian gods, the four sons of Horus. They are guardians of the bowels.

Four Sons Of Horus:
Inset
Duamutef
Kabasanov
Hapi

"Sponsored" bodies:
Liver
Stomach
Intestine
Light

As soon as internal organs were removed, Ronn and Bob washed the abdominal and thoracic cavities of the body, using a palm wine and myrrh. This ritual is probably had a practical roots, since this would provide a more pleasant aroma than the one that usually comes from a dead body. The cavities were filled with small bags "oxide sodium"to dry the corpse inside.

Table embalming was made to fit the specifications of those that were found in Egyptian tombs. On the question why it was so wide, soon do we get the answer. Because it 'oxide sodium' first Lily on the table and then on the body, it became clear that they will need in width to accommodate the body, completely surrounded by 600 pounds of sodium oxide.

The temperature was maintained about 115 F (46 C). Humidity remained at the level of 30% to the same conditions, as in ancient Egypt. After 35 days of location "of sodium oxide" in the tissues "Mumba" weight loss was $ 100 from its original 160 pounds.

The mummification process took only 35 days. Why, then, Egyptian ritual of mummification took 70 days? The answer may lie in the movements of the star Sirius. Sirius was a major star of the Egyptians, and we know that they followed her movements very carefully. The rise of the Sirius star was celebrated Egyptian New Year, the beginning of the season floods. The time when Sirius had disappeared in the sky until the time when he returned (Egyptian New Year) was 70 days, perhaps the Egyptians equated these astronomical phenomena related death in the physical world to the Renaissance in the afterlife.

Now, when the drying process of the body was completed, bags "oxide sodium", which were placed inside the body, could be removed. Empty cavity was filled with palm wine with spices, myrrh, and packages Marley. The body was wiped the mixture of five oils: frankincense, myrrh, palm, Lotus and cedar. Scientists removed the tissue samples for biopsy and to test for the presence of bacteria. Remarkably, three months after the death, all the studies have indicated that there was no presence of bacteria. It was a moment that mummification was considered a success.

The process was not finished because mummy still need to be wrapped. Pictures of mummies of Thutmose III was used as a guide. Zamatyvala mummified body was carried out with a long linen bandages and casings that were imported from Egypt. At each of these strips of linen was with relevant hieroglyphic inscriptions. They have been applied, using natural resin.

In some ancient Egyptian mummies, this gum, covers the entire body. The name of this resin there was a name - the mummy. Some observers believed that this gum was bitumen. The Persian word for bitumen - moumia. Full wrapping process lasted several days and demanded more than 6 layers or 20 pounds (9 kilograms) of underwear. In accordance with ancient practice, the amulet heart was placed over the heart Mumba.

At this point, if Mumab was a real ancient Egyptian mummy, he would have passed a burial rituals, which was cleaning and preparing for the afterlife, the so-called "the opening of the mouth". Body Mumba not intended for the afterlife. It now rests in the Museum of Man in San Diego. It will continue to be exploited by the Conference Wade, Bob Bri?re, and scientists of this and future generations.