The ancient Egyptians were not the first culture to mummify their dead, but they practically perfected the practice by wrapping and preserving millions of people and animals throughout the centuries. The earliest Egyptian mummies discovered by archaeologists date to around 3500 B.C., well before the Great Pyramid of Giza was built.
Mummification was a sacred funeral rite for the ancient Egyptians, who believed that the body of the deceased needed to be preserved so that their spiritual essence could transcend into the next world. Ancient Egyptians believed the heart was the seat of the person's essence, so it was always left inside a mummy. But the process of mummification was complicated and costly, so it was typically reserved for elite members of society.
The ancient Egyptians practiced mummification for thousands of years, but it eventually faded out in Roman times because of the advent of Christianity.
What do you know about the history and practice of mummification in ancient Egypt? Unwrap your skills, because this quiz will test what you know about pyramid schemes — no bones about it!
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