Mummification: Its Development and Legacy From Ancient Traditions to Contemporary Methods
Mummification: Its Development and Legacy From Ancient Traditions to Contemporary Methods
Blog Article
The process of mummification describes how by which the body of a dead body can be preserved. This method of keeping bodies intact can occur naturally or be done intentionally by humans. Bodies are naturally preserved under specific conditions, such as extreme cold, acidic bogs, or dry climates. One of the most famous forms of intentional mummification originated in Egyptian history, where the deceased were wrapped in bandages to prevent decay and keep the body for the journey to the afterlife.
Mummies, whether human or animal, have been discovered on every continent, often because of natural preservation or intentional rituals. In Egypt, more than a million animal mummies have been discovered, many of them cats. The Egyptian mummification techniques was highly ceremonial. Egyptians would extract the brain using a hook through the nasal cavity, and extracted most internal organs, keeping only the heart inside the body. This was due to the belief that the heart was crucial for the ceremony in the afterlife. The removed organs were placed in canopic jars, which were included in the burial.
Today, mummification has taken on a new form as part of certain BDSM subcultures. Here, the concept of mummification is used in a role-playing context, where one person, known as the "slave," is bound tightly by another, the "master." Breathing is allowed through exposed nostrils to ensure oxygen flow. The items used to wrap the body range from duct tape, plastic wrap, to bandages. While the practice retains the term mummification, in the BDSM context is primarily about controlling the body instead of preservation.
**To conclude**
Mummification has evolved significantly from its beginning in ancient burial rituals to present-day practices in subcultures like BDSM. While the traditional purpose focused on preserving the body for the afterlife, today's version is about control and role-play. Despite the differences, both forms of mummification demonstrate a shared human interest in mastery, whether over death or within social relationships.