Mummification: Its Development and Legacy From Ancient Traditions to Contemporary Methods

Mummification: Its Development and Legacy From Ancient Traditions to Contemporary Methods

Blog Article

The process of mummification is the process through which the skin and flesh of a deceased person are preserved. This process of preservation can occur naturally or be performed through human intervention. Natural mummification occurs under specific conditions, such as extreme cold, high acidity, or dry environments. A notable type of intentional mummification is from Egyptian civilization, where the deceased were covered in bandages to preserve their bodies and keep the body for the next world.

Preserved bodies, whether human or animal, have been discovered all over the globe, often resulting from natural preservation or cultural practices. Throughout Egypt, over one million animal mummies have been found, many of them cats. The process of Egyptian mummification was very symbolic. The brain was removed through the nose, and took out most of the body's organs, except for the heart. This was due to the belief that the heart was crucial for the afterlife rituals. The removed organs were put into canopic jars, which were buried with the mummy.

Today, mummification has evolved into a new practice in certain BDSM communities. Here, the idea of mummifying has become a form of role-play, where one person, playing the role of the "slave," is bound tightly by another, the "master." The nose is left uncovered to allow for air. The materials used for this wrapping range from duct tape, plastic wrap, to bandages. Although this practice retains the term mummification, in the BDSM context is primarily about controlling the body instead of preservation.

**To conclude**

Mummification has evolved significantly from its beginning in ancient Egyptian death practices to present-day practices in alternative lifestyles. Although its original intention focused on preserving the body for eternity, the modern interpretation is about control and role-play. Despite the differences, both forms of mummification demonstrate a shared human interest in mastery, whether over death or through interpersonal dynamics.