Beyond the Pyramid Walls

Have you ever heard of a mummy? No, not the kind in scary movies, but a real one! A mummy is a special kind of body that has been carefully preserved so it doesn’t decay or rot. Imagine if someone could keep a body safe for thousands of years — that’s what mummies are! 

Why do you think they wanted to keep the body safe after death?

Ancient Egyptians believed that when someone died, their spirit needed a home to return to. So, they wrapped the body very carefully so the spirit could live forever.

Can you guess what they used to keep the body from rotting?
Hint: It’s not magic!

They took out the inside parts of the body — like the stomach and lungs — and dried the body using a special salt called natron. Then, they wrapped the whole body tightly in cloth strips, kind of like a giant bandage!

Fun Fact: Sometimes they put small treasures and special items inside the wrappings to help the person in the afterlife.