Ancient Civilisations
Student Information The Ritual of Embalming Embalming is the process of preserving a body by the use of chemicals. The process slows down the decay so that the body appears to be lifelike for a longer period of time. Only professional embalmers were allowed to complete the process of embalming. The internal organs were removed through surgical holes cut into the body. A powdery substance called ‘natron’ — sodium carbonate and salt — was used to dry the inside of the body. Spices, oils and resins filled the cavities inside the body. The body was then wrapped in layers of linen strips and placed in a coffin, which was in turn placed into a tomb.
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This process, which took about 70 days, is called mummification.
© R. I . C.Publ i cat i ons 2. f Dictionary meaning • o r r evi ew pur posesonl y• piece of jewellery worn as a protection against evil. trade by exchange of goods. to treat a dead body with preservatives. pictures (or sounds) representing an object. an embalmed or preserved body. a mineral found in salt deposits used in embalming. a kind of paper made from the stems of the papyrus reeds. the title of the ancient Egyptian kings. huge stone constructions with a square base built to hold the tombs of Ancient Egyptians. a stone or marble coffin or tomb. sacred beetles. a person making handwritten copies before the invention of printing. a mechanism for raising water. a stone statue with the body of a lion and the head of a man. a place for burying a corpse.
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Egyptian Words 1. Alphabetical order (a) amulet (b) barter (c) embalming (d) hieroglyphs (e) mummy (f) natron (g) papyrus (h) Pharaoh (i) pyramids (j) sarcophagus (k) scarabs (l) scribe (m) shaduf (n) sphinx (o) tomb
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Answers
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The Egyptians believed that preserving the body meant survival of the soul. Important Egyptians, and the Pharaohs, were mummified in this way because they believed they could enjoy life after their death.
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3. Teacher check The Ritual of Embalming 1. Step 1. Internal organs removed through surgical holes and stored in jars. Step 2. Body dried with natron then spices, oils and resins used to fill body. Step 3. Body wrapped in layers of linen strips. Step 4. Body placed in a coffin in a tomb. 2. Picture 2 – body dried with natron then spices, oils and resins used to fill body Picture 4 – body being placed in coffin in tomb 4
Ancient Civilisations
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