Science Activities for 5-8
Mummification
What is a mummy?
A mummy is a corpse whose skin and dried flesh have been preserved by either intentional or accidental exposure to chemicals, extreme cold, extreme heat, very low humidity, or airlessness. Ancient Egyptians used chemicals—natural salts—to dry their corpses. Basically, when all moisture is removed from a corpse, it becomes a mummy. The Egyptians used Natron—a naturally-occurring desiccant. A desiccant is a substance that has a high affinity for water and is used as a drying agent.
The earliest known "mummy" dates back to approximately 3300 BC. This mummy is at the British Museum in London, England and has been given the nickname of "Ginger" because of its red hair. "Ginger" was found buried beneath the hot, dry desert sand which preserved the body and did not survive intentional mummification. Instead, the combination of heat and dry sand caused the preservation.
Although mummification existed in other cultures, eternal life was the main focus of Ancient Egyptian religion. As part of the necessities for eternal life, an Egyptian needed a preserved body. At first, the Egyptians tried to preserve the entire body. Over time, though, they realized that they needed to remove the internal organs. They crafted special canopic jars to hold the four organs that they felt were important. Then, enbalmers used natural salts to remove all moisture from the body so that it is difficult for bacteria to thrive inside it and cause decay. Once all moisture was removed and the body fully dried, the mummies were anointed with oils and perfumes to prepare them for their journey to the afterlife.
The 5-8 Think Like an Egyptian activity booklet includes instructions for making a simple mummy from an apple. View mummification page only of the booklet for this activity, or view the entire activity booklet. Both documents are PDFs.
The 5-8 Links for Further Exploration also include ideas for making mummies in your classroom.