The ancient Egyptians believed that the soul is divided into nine parts: The Khat, the Ka, the Ba, the Shuyet, the Akh, the Sahu, the Sechem, the Ab, and the Ren. The mummification process was performed so that the Ka (the body's double form) and the Ba (the human-headed bird aspect which could speed between the body and the afterlife) could recognize the Khat (the physical body) after death. Embalming would preserve the body for use in the afterlife.
There were three levels of service that embalmers could provide. The family would purchase the most expensive one they could afford because they believed that they would be haunted if they shirked that responsibility. The cheapest service was simply to wash out the intestines and hold the body for 70 days. The second tier involved injecting an oil into the body through the anus. The anus would then be closed off to prevent leaking for a certain number of days. Eventually, the valve would be opened and the oil would be released, washing out the body's dissolved organs with it. The third service was the most expensive, the most intricate, and the most studied. I will focus the rest of this essay on the study of this method.
Step 1:
The removal of the brain. This was done by the insertion of a hook into the nose. Sometimes there wasn't enough room to operate in the nasal cavity so the embalmer would break the nose. This was a last resort, however, because it would disfigure the face. Though most of the brain could be removed by the hook alone, chemicals were used to wash out any remains.
Step 2:
An incision is made on the left side of the body. The organs are removed and are left to dry.
Step 3:
The chest cavity is thoroughly cleaned with palm oil and ground spices. After that it is filled with myrrh, cassia, and other aromatic substances. It is then sewn up again. It will be covered entirely and placed in natron for 70 days.
Step 4:
Once the internal organs have dried, they are put into canopic jars. There were four different types of canopic jars that guarded different organs. The imsety guarded the liver and depicted a human, the qebhesneuf guarded the intestines and resembled a falcon, the hapy guarded the lungs and resembled a baboon, and the duamutef guarded the stomach and looked like a jackal. The heart is put back into the body because it was thought to hold the Ka.
Step 5:
After 40 days in natron, the body is stuffed with linen or sand to give it more shape.
Step 6:
Once the 70 days in natron are up, the body is wrapped in bandages. Protective amulets and charms are included in the wrappings for this tier of service. The body is then placed in its sarcophagus.
The funeral was a public affair. If the family could afford it, they would hire mourners. Though the pharaohs are known for their expensively decorated tombs, all tombs would receive grave goods. Most notably, shabti dolls. Shabti dolls were clay figures that could be woken up with a spell and would perform tasks for the dead person. These dolls have helped archaeologists determine wealth in ancient Egypt; the more shabti dolls in a tomb, the greater the wealth of the dead person.
Once the body was placed in a sarcophagus, it was placed in a grave or burial chamber in a pyramid. The soul was then free to travel to the afterlife.
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