Ancient Egyptians believed that life continued after death in a place they called the afterlife. To get there, they believed a person's body needed to be kept safe. So they turned bodies into mummies — bodies dried and wrapped so they would last for thousands of years.
Making a mummy took about 70 days! Special workers washed the body and covered it with a salty powder called natron to dry it out. Then they wrapped it in hundreds of meters of linen cloth strips, tucking in lucky charms called amulets between the layers.
The mummy was placed in a decorated case called a sarcophagus. Egyptians even made mummies of cats, crocodiles, and birds! Thanks to mummies, scientists today can learn what ancient Egyptians ate, what sicknesses they had, and even how old they were.
1. Why did Egyptians make mummies?
2. How long did it take to make a mummy?
3. What can scientists learn from mummies today?
Write what each word means in your own words.
Number these steps 1 to 4 in the correct order.
| Step | Order (1–4) |
|---|---|
| Place the mummy in a sarcophagus | |
| Wash the body | |
| Wrap the body in linen strips with amulets | |
| Dry the body with natron for many days |
You need: a doll or action figure and a roll of toilet paper or cloth strips.
Carefully wrap your 'mummy' from head to toe, just like Egyptian workers did. Tuck a small 'amulet' (a bead or button) between the layers for good luck. How many wraps did it take?
Draw a beautiful sarcophagus case. Decorate it with colors, patterns, and picture writing.
1. Why do you think Egyptians also made mummies of cats and other animals?