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Ancient Egypt
Although mummification existed in other cultures,
eternal life was the main focus of all Ancient
Egyptians, which meant preserving the body forever.
Egyptian culture believed the body was home in the
afterlife to a person's Ka and Ba, without which it
would be condemned to eternal wandering.
Cindy Pucci in The
Mummy's Kiss 2nd Dynasty
The earliest known Egyptian "mummified" individual
dates back to approximately 3300 BC. This individual,
nicknamed 'Ginger' because of the color of his hair, is
not internationally renowned despite being older than
other famous mummies, such as Rameses II or Seti I.
Currently on display in the British Museum, Ginger was
discovered buried in hot desert sand. Desert conditions
can naturally preserve bodies so it is uncertain whether
the mummification was intentional or not. However, since
Ginger was buried with some pottery vessels it is likely
that the mummification was a result of preservation
techniques of those burying him. Stones might have been
piled on top to prevent the corpse from being eaten by
jackals and other scavengers and the pottery might have
held food and drink which was later believed to sustain
the deceased during the journey to the other world.
While there are no written records of religion from that
time, the beliefs of those who buried Ginger could have
resembled the later religion to some extent.
Mummy - Technique of deliberate
mummification
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