The ancient Egyptian process of preserving dead bodies by removing organs, treating with chemicals, and wrapping in linen bandages. This practice was believed to ensure the deceased's successful journey to the afterlife.
From Arabic 'mumiya' meaning bitumen or wax, which early scholars mistakenly thought was used in preservation. The word entered Latin as 'mumia' and evolved through Old French into English by the 14th century.
The mummification process took 70 days and was so effective that we can still see the facial features of pharaohs who died over 3,000 years ago! The practice was so central to Egyptian culture that even pets and sacred animals were mummified, with millions of ibis and cat mummies discovered in ancient cemeteries.
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