Why did the Egyptians make Mummies?

The Egyptians believed in an afterlife to which human souls journeyed after death. They thought it important that the bodies of the dead should be preserved for life in the next world, and so they developed techniques for making "mummies".

The dead person's organs were removed and the body was embalmed and dried, using salts and chemicals, and then wrapped in linen bandages. It was then placed inside a coffin. Even animals such as cats and monkeys were sometimes mummified. Many thousands of mummies must have been made, but only about 1,000 survive today.

Tutankhamun(pictured above ) means "Living Image of Amun". became king of Egypt at the age of nine and died when he was about 18. His tomb is one of more than 60 royal tombs around the Valley of the Kings. Its four rooms contained more than 5,000 objects which included ostrich feathers, model ships, a throne and a gold death mask.

Fact File:

Osiris, god of the dead, was often shown as a mummy on a throne, wearing the crown of Upper Egypt.



Mummies: Secrets of the Pharaohs [Blu-ray 3D]
The Everything Kids' Mummies, Pharaohs, and Pyramids Puzzle and Activity Book: Discover the mysterious secrets of Ancient Egypt (Everything Kids Series)National Geographic's Egypt - Secrets of the Pharaohs [VHS]