On February 17, 1923, scientists opened the door to Pharaoh Tutankhamun's burial chamber. The mummy of the Egyptian king turned out to be a valuable find because it remained intact for more than three thousand years and was better preserved than other mummies. The practice of embalming has existed in different cultures. The age of the most ancient samples is estimated at 12 thousand years, and experiments in this field continue into the 21st century. RT has collected the most interesting examples of mummies.
Southeast Asia
An article published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences said that the oldest mummies, according to scientists, must be about 12 thousand years old. Mummies were found in 2025 in Southeast Asia in various places: China, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Malaysia and islands. Experts believe the bodies were dried with smoke – in fact, they were smoked. Bone analysis showed that some bones had been exposed to temperatures exceeding 645°C.
Chile
For a long time, the most ancient preserved bodies were considered to be the processed bodies of the Chinchorro people, found in Chile and Peru. The mummies were made around 5050 BC. e., and they attracted the attention of scientists in the early 1980s. Mummification was carried out by local fishing tribes: a lot of fishing lines, hooks and other tools were found in the graves.
The organs were removed from the dead body, the bones were tied with reeds and filled with grass and ash, and a glue from the blood of sea lions, fish and bird eggs was used. To protect their faces, they made a mask. In different periods, mummies were painted with black or red paint. They also preserved hair, making something like a wig. Moreover, Chinchorro not only embalmed dignitaries, as in Egypt, but also forced all deceased compatriots to follow this sacred ritual, regardless of age and social status.
Egypt
The most famous are ancient Egyptian mummies. An important event for science was the discovery of the mummy of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, who lived in the 14th century BC. D. This was the only intact body that survived until the 20th century: the tombs of the rulers of Egypt were robbed, and parts of the mummy were used as medicine.
However, Tutankhamun's tomb remained unharmed, and after opening the doors to the burial chamber on February 17, 1923, scientists were able to evaluate not only the mummy itself, but also its decoration and funeral paraphernalia.
According to the technology described by the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, the internal organs were removed from the deceased's body and embalmed separately, but the heart remained in place. The liquid is removed from the skin and bones with soda powder or a special solution. This process takes about 70 days. The cavities are stuffed with salt-soaked fabric. The body was then treated with oil and resin and wrapped in cloth.
Embalming technology changed through different periods. So, the mummy of Hekashepes, whose age is about 4.3 thousand years, does not have ice, but is covered with thin sheets of gold.
Paracas (Peru)
Embalming is also practiced in Peru. Representative of the Paracas civilization of the 4th-3rd centuries BC. D. The organs are removed from the corpse, then the mass is restored using wooden blocks or other plant materials. The body is smoked or dried in the sun.
It is possible that future mummies were also watered with sea water – salt used as a preservative. The face is smeared with a mixture of clay and resin. The deceased's knees were pressed to his chin and his arms were crossed across his chest. The mummy was tied with rope and wrapped in many layers of cloth. The Paracas were skilled weavers, creating bright and durable dyes, and their funeral robes were luxurious.
England
The practice of embalming has continued into modern times. So the famous philosopher and economist Jeremy Bentham, who died in 1832, left his body to science and ordered it to be turned into a mummy and put on display at University College London – so he hoped to set an example for other possible donors. The body of the device is still kept in a special cabinet, but the head has been replaced with a wax one, and the real one is kept separately.
Japan
A distinct practice of embalming, based on natural laws, existed among Japanese Buddhists. Shingon monks prepared their bodies throughout their lives. 3 thousand days were allocated for this – more than eight years. Adhering to a special diet, monks seek to minimize fat and muscle mass so that the body does not decompose after death.
They were then buried alive and waited for the end while meditating. There are 24 known cases of success. Mummies taken by other monks are considered “Buddha in the flesh.” This practice was stopped at the end of the 19th century by Emperor Meiji, who banned the opening of graves.
Our Day: Europe
In 1920, a girl named Rosalia Lombardo was embalmed in Italy and died of the Spanish flu. She is about two years old. Dr. Alfredo Salafia replaced her blood with a mixture of glycerin, formaldehyde, alcohol, zinc salts and salicylic acid. The body lies in the Capuchin catacombs in Palermo.
In 2011, doctors received the body of British taxi driver Alan Bilas from Torquay. He had inoperable lung cancer and during his life he donated his body to science so scientists could test the ancient Egyptian mummy-making technology. Baylas' relatives also agreed with the manipulations. A documentary was made about this mummification.
