What is embalming? Will an embalmed body remain preserved for thousands of years like the mummies of Egypt?
Embalming is the temporary preservation of the dead for funeral purposes. Bodily fluids are drained and replaced with chemical preservatives and the face, neck and hands are restored to make the decedent appear as natural as possible. A well-embalmed body that was prepared by a licensed funeral director of high skill can remain preserved anywhere from days to many years. For the record, although we refer to the mummies of Egypt as being embalmed, the procedure used was more akin to taxidermy — involving removal of vital organs, covering in natron and drying in the desert sun for 40 days or more — than modern funeral embalming.
