Luxor Museum of Mummification is without question a real Must-See Luxor attraction that essentially showcases the ancient and fascinating art of mummification.
The Luxor museum of mummification is exactly what it says it is: a museum that is dedicated to the subject of mummification. Visitors arriving in Luxor can find the museum facing the Nile River on Luxor West Bank, just a short distance north of the infamous Luxor Temple.
Many visitors to the city would agree that you haven’t really experienced ancient Egypt if you haven’t visited the remarkable and incredibly interesting Luxor museum of mummification.
A Brief History Of Mummification
The ancient Egyptians believed that if one’s spirit was to survive in the afterlife, then mummification was essential. Many people wrongly believe that only pharaohs and high ranking officials were privileged enough to be mummified. This wasn’t really the case at all. Anyone could have their bodies mummified, and in fact, the Egyptians routinely mummified animals as well. Today there are a number of animals on display at the Luxor museum of mummification.
The only reason why very few commoners had their bodies mummified, is because it was an incredibly long and expensive process. By the time the practice of mummification died out, it had become considerably more affordable. By this time, many wealthy Egyptians would have been in a position to afford it.
It is also worth noting that the Egyptians didn’t invent mummification. However, they were the first people to begin practicing it, and after doing so for more than 2,000 years, they had quite clearly become true masters.
Overview Of The Mummification Procedure
The actual procedure involved for successful mummification requires a great deal of experience. It’s a complex procedure and one which cannot be explained with just a few words. Mummification in ancient Egypt was generally carried out by priests, and one of their first objectives would have been to remove all the internal organs. Only the heart which they believed was necessary for the afterlife, would have been left in the body.
The reason for removing the organs was to reduce moisture in the body as much as possible in order to slow down decay. The body would then have been washed and perfumed prior to the application of various oils and embalming lotions. Interestingly, the Egyptians also used globules of a black tar-like substance that is produced naturally in the Dead Sea.
Visiting The Luxor Museum Of Mummification
The museum occupies what was previously a modern visitor center, and many visitors are surprised when they discover just how big the museum actually is. As it stands today, it covers an area of just over 2,000 square meters, and within that area, visitors will find the main artifacts room; a lecture hall, a video room and a cafeteria.
The Luxor museum of mummification has done a spectacular job at showcasing the ancient art of Egyptian mummification, and today visitors can see a large collection of mummification related items on display, along with several mummified animals and even the mummy of Masaherta that is believed to be more than three thousand years old.
