As part of our Temples, Tombs and Treasures project, 3AH have been learning about the process of mummification.
The ancient Egyptians developed a sophisticated method to preserve a dead body for the afterlife: mummification. First, the internal organs were removed and all moisture from the body was eliminated. Next, the body was wrapped with long strips of linen, and then covered with a large linen cloth.
As a class, we followed a step by step process of this ancient method of preserving bodies but instead of bodies, we used tomatoes! We were surprised to see how wiping the tomatoes down with alcohol (anti-bacterial hand wash) killed any germs and prevented them from rotting. We enjoyed observing how the natron (salt) made all the water come out of the tomatoes over a number of days. We didn’t, however, enjoy the smell so much!
Ms Angela Hay
Year 3 ESL Teacher