Mummification

The Egyptians are infamous for their preservation of the dead and it has been suggested that as a nation they were pre-occupied with death and the afterlife. The most efficient way of disposing of the dead in the pre-dynastic period was to bury them in shallow graves on the edge of the desert. Occasionally when disturbed by wild animals the graves revealed the naturally preserved bodies within. The body of "Ginger" from the British Museum is a perfect example of a naturally preserved body and dates from 3400BC. He has retained his skin and hair although the drying process has changed the colour to a vibrant red, which earned him his affectionate nickname. This natural preservation sparked the belief that in order to survive in the afterlife, the body had to be preserved. However by trying to preserve the body with bandages, tombs and coffins, they removed the one element that they needed to desiccate the body and therefore preserve it. Sand. However, they gradually devised various ways of drying out the body and therefore preserving it without ever returning to the natural element of sand.
Despite the abundance of physical evidence of mummification there is no ancient Egyptian "manual" for mummification although the associated rituals are recorded in the Rhind Magical Papyrus dated from 200BC. The best record of mummification is from "The Histories" of Herodotus, who travelled to Egypt in the 5th century AD. There is some speculation regarding the accuracy of his sources as it is believed that some of his informants on the customs of Egypt may have embellished a little in order to satisfy his desire for barbaric rituals. However, his record regarding mummification is in parts supported by archaeological evidence.
"Mummification is a distinct profession. The embalmers, when a body is bought to them, produce specimen models in wood, painted to resemble nature, and graded in quality; the best and most expensive kind is said to represent a being whose name I shrink from mentioning in this connection (i.e. Osiris); the next best is somewhat inferior and cheaper while the third sort is cheapest of all. After pointing out these differences in quality, they ask which of the three is required, and the kinsmen of the dead man, having agreed upon a price, go away and leave the embalmers to their work.
The most perfect process is as follows: as much as possible of the brain is extracted through the nostrils with an iron hook, and what the hook cannot reach is rinsed out with drugs; next the flank is laid open with the flint knife and the whole contents of the abdomen removed; the cavity is then thoroughly cleansed and washed out, first with palm wine and again with an infusion of pounded spices.
After that it is filled with pure bruised myrrh, cassia, and every other aromatic substance with the exception of frankincense, and sewn up again, after which the body is placed in natron, covered entirely over, for seventy days. Never longer.