Here’s the 4,000-year-old formula in four grisly steps:
Step 1: A priest poked a special hook up the dearly departed’s nose to yank out the brains (which were considered useless).
Step 2: The liver, stomach, intestines, and lungs were all removed, cleaned, preserved, and sealed in special “canopic jars” carved to look like the gods who guard these organs. The heart – considered crucial equipment for the perilous journey through the underworld – was kept in place.
Step 3: Priests packed the body inside and out with a special salt to sop up the moisture. After the body dried for 40 days, it was stuffed with rags and plants so it didn’t look like a deflated balloon.
Step 4: Priests rubbed the corpse’s skin with oils and resins to soften it. Layers of linen, treated with the same oils, were wrapped around the mummy, giving it the famous bandaged look seen in movies. Finally, the priests tucked amulets into the wrappings and uttered spells to activate their protective powers.
Picture Credit : Google