Mummification: Its Development and Legacy From Historical Rituals to Modern-Day Practices

Mummification: Its Development and Legacy From Historical Rituals to Modern-Day Practices

Blog Article

The process of mummification is the process in which the skin and flesh of a deceased person can be preserved. This method of keeping bodies intact may happen naturally or be carried out by humans. Bodies are naturally preserved when exposed to particular environments, such as extreme cold, high acidity, or dry climates. One of the most famous forms of intentional mummification is from Egyptian civilization, where corpses were encased in bandages to prevent decay and preserve the body for the afterlife.

Mummified remains, including humans and animals, have been found on every continent, often resulting from natural preservation or intentional rituals. Within Egypt, in excess of a million mummified animals have been uncovered, a significant number being cats. The method of mummification in ancient Egypt was highly ceremonial. Egyptians would extract the brain via the nostrils, and extracted most internal organs, keeping only the heart inside the body. This was because Egyptians believed the heart was central to the ceremony in the afterlife. The other organs were put into canopic jars, which were buried with the mummy.

Today, mummification has taken on a new form in certain BDSM communities. Here, the idea of mummifying has become a form of role-play, where one person, known as the "slave," is wrapped tightly by another, the "master." The nose is left uncovered to ensure oxygen flow. The wrapping materials vary from duct tape, plastic wrap, to bandages. While the practice shares the name, its purpose in BDSM is primarily about restraint and control rather than preserving the body.

**To conclude**

Mummification has undergone vast changes from its roots in ancient Egyptian death practices to modern-day practices in subcultures like BDSM. While the traditional purpose was to preserve the body for eternity, the contemporary practice is about control and role-play. Even though they are different, both forms of mummification demonstrate a shared human interest in mastery, whether it is over death or within social relationships.