Mysterious Mummies
Middle Kingdom Muffication
(1991-1786)
Middle Kingdom mummification practices are characterized by use of an embalming agent called natron and the first appearance of the cartonnage facemask.
Image credit: Ancientmummies343 (Tumblr).
Image credit: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Natron is a type of salt that improved the mummification process by relieving the body of moisture. Upon death the deceased’s body was covered in a mixture of natron and resin and left for 40 days (Andrews 1984). The effectiveness of natron in preserving the bodies soft tissue encouraged the Egyptian embalmers to scale back the use of plaster and linen. Small quantities of linen smeared with resin were applied to the body after it has sufficiently dried out.
Image credit: The History Blog.
Image credit: Myers Collection at Eton College.
The appearance of the cartonnage face mask is the most significant mummification innovation of the Middle Kingdom. This facemask was fashioned out of linen and resin and molded into an idealistic representation of the deceased. Archaeological evidence has demonstrated that these masks were either placed directly onto the mummy or fashioned onto a coffin(David 1978).