Mummification Museum in Luxor highlights art of mummification in ancient Egypt

CAIRO – 20 April 2022: Ancient Egyptians believed in the importance of preserving the body after death to ensure immortality in the afterlife. 

Therefore, mummification was an essential component of the funerary practices of the ancient Egyptians, and was symbolically supervised by the deity Anubis.

The mummification process involved many complex steps that used to take about 70 days, accompanied by performing many rituals and reading incantations. The organs of the deceased were carefully removed through a small incision in the body and kept in containers known as canopic pots, then the body was dried using natron salt and finally wrapped in linen rolls.

Canopic Jars found in Luxor's Mummification Museum - social media

Mummy preserved in the Luxor Mummification Museum - social media

Magical amulets are also placed inside the wraps around different parts of the mummy to protect it. Finally, the family of the deceased carry the mummy to be placed in a coffin for burial.

The Mummification Museum provides a comprehensive introduction to the entire process by explaining the religious significance of mummification and the rituals associated with it, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. 

The museum displays many of the tools used in mummification, as well as a collection of canopic utensils, human and animal mummies, elaborately decorated coffins, amulets, and statues of deities.

The Mummification Museum is located on the Nile Corniche, north of Luxor Temple. It was opened in 1997, and is one of the most important museums in Egypt, dedicated to the art of Ancient Egyptian mummification.