Preserved as a mummy through drying or embalming; extremely dried out or withered.
From Arabic 'mumiya' meaning bitumen, referring to the black resinous substance used in embalming, which entered English via Medieval Latin 'mumia'. The verb form developed in the 17th century as Europeans encountered Egyptian preservation techniques.
The word 'mummy' originally had nothing to do with mothers or wrappings - it referred to the black, tar-like appearance of ancient Egyptian preserved bodies. Modern mummification occurs naturally in very dry or cold conditions, creating accidental time capsules that fascinate archaeologists worldwide.
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