Mysterious Mummies
New Kingdom Mummification
1552-1069 BC
Seti I Mummy
Image credit: Wikipedia.
Mummification techniques employed during the New Kingdom achieved the greatest degree of preservation in Egyptian history, due in part to an explosion of new methods to preserve the body. One such was method was to pack the body will filler such as butter, sawdust, liner and mud. It has been suggested that this method allowed for remarkable preservation of facial features and contours in the deceased (David pg 64). Pharaoh Seti’s mummified remains are a testament to the success of this method; the degree of facial soft tissue preservation is arguably the finest amongst all Egyptian mummies.
Greater attention was also paid to the preservation of the internal organs during the New Kingdom. Rather than remove the organs and place them in canopic jars – a method that was practiced since the Old Kingdom- the organs were individually wrapped with linen and placed back into the body. The brain was the one exception to this and great care was taken to completely removed it. This was accomplished by forcing a sharpened instrument through the nose than into cranial cavity, which was followed by using a ladle to scoop out the contents.
The New Kingdom is also distinguished by new trends in depicting different gender amongst the mummified. Generally, women were mummified with their hands alongside their thighs, while men’s were left completely extended. Applying paints to both the mummy and its sarcophagus became extremely popular to denote gender. Typically, men’s mummies were painted with red ochre and yellowed was used to denote female.
I Seti I Mummy
Image credit: Wikipedia.
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