Why did the ancient Egyptians make mummies?
The ancient Egyptians observed that bodies buried under the desert were dried out and preserved. Based on this observation, they believed that a person’s spirit, or soul, lived on after their death. It was important that the spirit could recognise its body in the afterlife so that it would have somewhere to live. Preserving the body through mummification was the best solution, but statues of the deceased could provide a back up resting place. The spirit could eat, play, and enjoy all the things it did during life. Therefore, the Egyptian burial had to provide everything for life in the tomb. Journey to eternity…….. Once the body was mummified and encased in a coffin, sarcophagus, it was placed in a tomb. There were several types of tombs built over the centuries in ancient Egypt. Inside, the tomb walls were decorated with scenes from life – sports, banquets and everyday activities. These scenes would provide for the deceased in the afterlife. Objects such as food, pots and statues
