Want to make sure a body gets reunited with its spirit in the afterlife? Then join us here at National Geographic Kids as we head to Ancient Egypt to see how they made their mummies…!

 

1. First wash the dead body in wine and Nile water. Make a cut in the side and take out the organs. To get to the brain, shove a hook up the nose and jiggle it about. Then pull out this useless organ* and chuck it away.

make a mummy

2. Clean the liver, lungs, intestines and stomach, then pop them in four special canopic jars whose lids look like the gods that guard them. The heart will need to be put back in the body, though, as it’s the centre of intelligence*.

make a mummy

3. Use a special Egyptian salt called natron to fill up the cavities and cover up the body. This will get rid of all the moisture. Leave it for about 40 days to dry out completely.

make a mummy

4. Next, scoop out the natron and stuff the body with spices, rags and plants so it doesn”t lose its shape.

5. Wrap up the body in fine linen bandages. Don’t forget to tuck in some lucky amulets, and then utter spells to activate their magical protective powers. When the wrapping is all done, put the mummy in a coffin. Then put that coffin in a coffin, and that coffin in another one and so on. Then place the whole lot in a tomb.

make a mummy

Cool but creepy, eh?! Check out this cool clip for more about the Ancient Egyptians and how they made their mummies…

* They had some funny ideas, those Ancient Egyptians!
Illustrations: Marek Jagucki

Be sure to read our other fab features about Ancient Egypt, too…

 

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COMMENTS

  • Jayden

    Cool!

  • hi

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    cool

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    cool

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  • hi

    I NEVER KNEW!!!

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    WOW COOL!

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    Love National Geographic

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    Cool

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  • I LOVE it

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    wow

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    Cool! It´s very interesting the history of ancient egypt! I love it! WoOoOoO!

  • cool!

  • max

    its disguting but cool max

  • rayden

  • Peppa-pig 4

    hi

  • WSSB

    Cool! LOL! Let's take Action! Can't wait! WOW! Live a long time agow was so cool!

  • a

    I am learning about this in class.

  • Adorable cat

    Coool

  • Makayla.K.Deloatch

    wow

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    live a long time agow was so cool

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    wow but why? it is desgusting but I did not expect it woud be like that ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

  • Anjelou

  • Cutie join

    Wow

  • Raja Nurul Hasinah

  • sharifah Nursakinah

    Scary mummy....

  • Nur Shuhadda binti Norazlan

    wow so best

  • kate

    I didn't know how mummy were made

  • Cute ☺️

  • Aarav.Ra

    cool

  • MICHI

  • ryonnna

    it is nice

  • Wow

  • Taco the tutle

    WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Fatima Soorty

    Exploring the journey of mummification was very captivating and interesting. I hope I can find out more.

  • achi

  • noah

  • Jamie

    It so cool to learn ancent egypt

  • cool!

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    This was so helpful

  • cool

  • AvaL23

    this is so cool

  • Uzzay

    I’m loving the mummies they are so so so cute hahaha

  • kiera

    i love ancient Egypt so much and how you make a mummy

  • mina

    amazing

  • thatchersgold1967@gmail.com

    at school were are learning about tutkhakhmum

  • Cool

  • Tina

    Really helpful for school reseacrh

  • Mason

    Cool!

  • Fatima Mustafa

    SO CREEPY

  • Fatima Mustafa

    that is so cool,epic and i couldn't say anything except wow

  • Isla-Mae

    Wow

  • Harvey

    Epic

  • charlie

    that is so cool

  • COOL

  • Dalh

    Amazing

  • Natalie

    So cool!!!

  • lucas

    cool

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    i would not want to have that disgusting job. YUCK!

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    Such a great resource!

  • crater

    i am learning about ancient egyptians

  • phillips

    cool

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    cool!

  • Thewiz000

    WEEEEEE AND COOL

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    This is cool

  • xjxjxjxjxjjxjxj

    brill

  • moonblaze

    that was so cool but creepy

  • Hannah Harmes

    I thought this was cool ,but the pictures could have been less graphic.

  • Seawater

    Amazing! I love it!

  • 1002

    awsome

  • Nicetry

    Nice learned something about this

  • tomis

    fun

  • -UniCoRn-

    Thank you!!!! This helped me a lot!

  • Tesia -Seddon

    wow this helps me at school thank you !!

  • Conor100807

    This is cool

  • Pokemon Lover

    Good but could use more steps at least 15

  • Jelly016

    This very disturbing and cool at the same time. Thanks for the facts.

  • ZanaCalum_19

    This is great now I can complete my project

  • Livvy

    WOW! Amazing facts

  • Lucy

    It is the best websites

  • RoaryLion10

    cool but boring videos

  • CookieFox

    Very interesting and has lots of facts thank you :)

  • Yahir1234565

    It is cool and amazing but sometimes

  • Ruby

    Great

  • Marija123

    COOL

  • Gggggg

    Bad

  • cools-town3000

    So very cool loved it liked the animals i am learning about this in 6th grade social studies

  • You

    Waaguone

  • holly838

    i think mummifying is grose but even thow your website is cool

  • ILIKETURTULES

    it waqs not cool

  • MOLLYBRITTON

    Thati s super cool

  • HAHAAH

    This is very disgusting. I reget looking at it

  • doncoleoni

    lol

  • wrhkdlha

    tots gross :(

  • No

    Cool

  • vunu

    awsome dwasome

  • TCTB340

    I loved the pictures and learned a lot!

  • Melody134567891011

    Very helpful!

  • Old_towel_guy_ha-37

    I LOVE IT! IT IS THE BEST THING EVER DUDES! CANT WAIT TO DO IT AGAIN!!!!! oh wait.......I CAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DO IT DUDES

  • Rouge

    welcome to the art of mummy making

  • coolguy11

    wow

  • dangermouse

    knbg

  • nmr

    cool

  • ihoougo

    nice

  • D-MONEY

    AMAZING

  • golibody

    omg so gross i dont even like care about this i am like just like doing this like for like a like project so like yeah i actually think this is like the most grossest thing ecer so ya

  • LUCKYGIRL24680

    THIS IS SO GONNA HELP WITH MY SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT YAY

  • potatoman is da boss

    I learned a lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooottttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt.potato

  • End3r_Gamez

    This is sorta messed u but ya I guess I liked it THX! Geogaphic Kids!

  • FreddyFazbear1

    hey alexis

  • FreddyFazbear1

    hey

  • legendaryalexis

    lol im turnong freinds to this

  • legendaryalexis

    lol im turning my freinds into 1 of these mummyies

  • legendaryalexis

    im going to do this to my freind lol

  • Lani

    Mummies rule

  • Amy -bell435

    Yuck

  • jolly-jelly

    OMG this web is epic

  • otjigji

    oh cool

  • Hi

    Interesting...

  • Yolol

    Gross

  • opuashd

    wow!

  • Old_towel_guy_ha-37

    this is now boring now that i have gone to collage for 18 minutes. i will never use this sight again

  • Old_towel_guy_ha-37

    this cool hahahaha l8ters i in schol so by

  • Old_towel_guy_ha-37

    i like dis. it so col. i se l8ter. ha aha ha ah ah i soo funy iw wish i put emogi or emoji

  • yarden40364

    i loved this video

  • Beck

    beck is my first true love m8

  • fre

    vvv

  • john258

    awesome

  • THE_ BOSS

    IM SO AMAZING MORE THAN ANYONE BUTS IT GOOD SO PEACE OUT IM BETTER THAN EVERY ONE

  • fluffyflippers

    my sis dressed up as Cleopatra she was awesome but mummies are totally gross but I think ancient Egypt is intriguing

  • Panda 11

    Wow you lot know loads about everything . Where do you get the facts from ?

  • Nutty

    LOLOLOLOL

  • justyn

    epic

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    yo that was lit bruhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

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    That was great hope they make more

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    cool

  • Xeno lll is OJ

    YAYAAAAAAA

  • smantha

    It was fan

  • smantha

    It was cool

  • derpinat0r

    The bottom right guy is stuffing a heart into a jar on first picture. Am I seeing things?

  • Banana24

    hey

  • Banana24

    Holy Bananas!!!

  • Iliketurtle

    Awsome

  • Harley Bryson

    OK.

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    WHAT ARE THOSE

  • dcs

    v

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    it really nice with pictures

  • HITTHEQUAN

    Say i if u play animal jam

  • HITTHEQUAN

    GROSS

  • leaya

    this is so cool right i love it do u ??????

  • koolkid97

    sooo cool i wanna make an egyptain mummy

  • Rusne

    Very cool how to make a mummy. Never knew any of those facts.

  • pohed

    well i hated t5he baby voice and i prefer the other websites

  • supaprettyavatar

    INFORMATIVE

  • hiimnobody303271385078120785

    AWESOME

  • msb2005

    Ew I dont want my brain pulled out from my nose!

  • skyelar

    I am fom egypt. yessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

  • Cleoloruem

    I have a project on Egypt so relevant

  • bens

    school is hard but this helped

  • bens

    cool but gross

  • yellowjellow

    i learened alot from this

  • BATGIRL

    LOVE IT! Its sorta diskusting though.

  • Benji12345

    Thanks I can now make my own mummy

  • Benji12345

    I loved the pictures.

  • cwmouahangag

    this have a lot for information, but I what about mummification

  • Najah

    This definetly helped me I got FULL MARKS on my test

  • Llamaqueen

    This helps a lot with my project, THANKS

  • Rio_Tani

    EW Blood I dont want them to do this to me when Im dead

  • Bench

    I had to do a project on it and this helped

  • Bench

    I learned a lot

  • Bench

    I learned a lot from this

  • getmeoutofhere

    hi im at school right now help :O

  • nobody1211

    hi!

  • shanialston

    Nice show iso can you show me how mummies are made?

  • Aamya

    cool like the video too

  • Levison

    Awsome

  • Levison

    Cool

  • auna

    it is werid

  • K-dub

    ITS Cool but nasty with the brain part .

  • halelucy1

    i liked it but i didnt like the part where they had to take out the guts.

  • ljuyypjyhjm

    lololololololoololo

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    lllllllllllllllllloooooooooooooooooollllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

  • ljuyypjyhjm

    lol

  • Ciya

    That video about the ancient times was AWESOME, I really enjoyed it! :-)

  • kyomi

    sup

  • Samun

    I hate program

  • tswag

    thanks

  • DragonRider

    I wish I could do that!

  • Olivia1234

    Cool but pretty gross too.

  • bgu05001532

    this is cool. doing a report and it really helped

  • zackmoney1904

    that was stupid i mean like what was koawola thing seriously like bruh

  • Cinthia

    This website is very helpful. It has helped me a lot with my project.

  • 12606650_cms

    these eas fun mummies are the best thing ive heard about

  • jakari.james

    thats awwwwwsome

  • z fresh

    coooooooooooooool

  • makiyah

    it was cool

  • christashaficklin

    cool but gross

  • HaileyHurst

    I thing the thing about making a mummy was very educational.

  • 363231363231

    nasty but cool

  • hi

    good video. i loved it

  • maggie

    that video was full of facts but there was talking animals seriously.

  • caleb_williams

    it was awesome

  • #1 Steelers

    I think I will try that for Halloween. That was really cool

  • HEY123

    AWESOME!!!

  • jonh

    VERY COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Pure-Awesomeness

    it was so cool!

  • pretty2

    great but gross

  • pretty2

    wierd but discusting

  • Dakshi

    Wow cool picture look good and the video was very good and informative

  • mackenzie-jade

    amazing

  • lilly11

    awesome!

  • Angelinaisawesome

    cool!

  • adrianeverest

    epic good for facts we are making one at school is epic!!!!

  • jeffrey123

    this is cool I am learning this

  • Tiago

    I love it

  • Kaitlin

    So gross but cool!!

  • Turtle_hat

    Interesting and gross at the same time - I am studying them so its helpful

  • APP

    WOW

  • Lillypad

    That is sooooo cool!

  • Evie 123456

    Cool

  • keegan

    cool

  • Menzies

    AWESOME

  • Menzies

    GROSS but COOL

  • super cool

    COOL !

  • P

    Cool

  • MONKEY12

    WOW AMAZING FACTS I WANT TO READ MORE

  • Meher-malhotra

    Cool!!

  • ZXNEON

    Cool!!!!:):D

  • shelly

    the is grosh and cool some how

  • Hermionie

    Horrible but interesting!

  • Felicia *

    WOW! Thats not very pleasant!!!!!!

  • beno

    they did have some funny ideas!

  • ROCKANDROLL

    WOW

  • Turtle 2.0

    I like history and I really love this website it made me a little smarter

  • Delilah

    so weird!

  • Maya Eltay

    Great i luv it xD From Maya

  • Kbox3600

    Lol the pulling your brain out with a hook is really wired and gross

  • starbrightz

    you enter the afterlife which you pass tests the last one is tricky because Anubis weighs the heart and the feather if the heart is light then the dead person is allowed to go through the gates and see there friends if it is heaver then the heart is eaten by ammit

  • elly

    disgusting

  • MBC-Minecraft

    Thats soooo weird ;)

  • Twilight sparkle14_14

    I am so glad that Im not a mummy

  • JASY

    THATS SOOOOOO GRIM,BUT TRUE!!!

  • JASY

    EEWW!!!

  • Flynn

    awesome now i can make a mummy with my brother

  • Zymoopeter

    Yuck

  • cutielove19

    i love it

  • dragon

    i like this .

  • perla

    Gross!!!!!but still informational,thanks!!!

  • egaw

    thanks!

  • Samiuel

    Wow

  • Sheena

    Gross!!! Still, it was cool.

  • Poppyloverlulu

    So good for mine and my friends topic

  • csr100

    COOOOOOOOOLLLL

  • csr100

    great for my project

  • Rybone

    Thankyou

  • Bubbly

    Totally helped me with my HW

  • niko243

    Egypt more like epic Egypt am i right

  • niko243

    Egypt more like epic Egypt am i right.

  • louis pike

    lol

  • louis pike

    it was good

  • louis pike

    fanks it rilley helpt

  • Lily

    They were quite strange those Ancient Egyptians dont you think?

  • Ehsen

    EW!

  • aboss

    gross!! but epic

  • Jack

    Super

  • shaisha

    i wish i known how to make a muumy

  • Hanah

    Interesting...

  • EMZIE

    FUNNY AND INTERESTING AND EASY AND UNDERSTANDABLE!

  • LoL21rrererrfgyt

    Thank you for the fact

  • NaDeshot

    nice

  • markuanaiza

    gross

  • ivy

    mummy making

  • KittyCat_Power

    Thanks! Real Help!!!

  • Isla

    You are great help with homework

  • whatsup

    Egypt is so cool!!!!

  • Harry

    Cool

  • BlahBlah

    Good, but need a movie or a clip, please add a clip/video

  • Ashton Berry

    Thank you for teaching me about Egypt I have learnt lots of things now

  • yana156

    I learned about the Egption s know I am learing about the Ancient Greece it is really intresting lol xd fam

  • tara

    OMG this is so cool. I love ancient Egypt

  • tara

    OMG this is so cool. I love ancient Egypt

  • jasmine

    that took ages gosh! i had to use this for my homework.

  • wajma

    I Learned That The Ancient Egypitains Take A Stick And Poked It In The Persons Nose And Take A Little Jiggle To Find It THANKS SMILE!

  • wajma

    Thanx so much Guys Because I am learning about Mummifacation At My School Sparrow Farm Junior School And for my Homework I have to Write How To Make A Mummy.(SMILE!)

  • wajma

    Nice things about it but I nearly puked about the pic when they take the brain out

  • Leina

    Really gross but cool!

  • Carlysparrow

    Its really gross but interesting! :)

  • Bobby and Frederick

    This is soooooooo useful!,

  • Lovely12

    Lol what is this

  • Lovely12

    Lol what is this

  • Taylor

    This site is super useful for a project im doing... im embalming classmate

  • Samantha

    This website is so useful....AWESOME!!!!You explain things in simplicity,its very easy to understand. :D

  • Goldfish1

    Amazing

  • saskia

    stupendous!

  • James

    It is amazing

  • James

    The web site is good

  • eduardo

    it super coll tho thanks

  • eduardo

    i do an avatar

  • eduardo

    It good how you explain and thanks

  • tidalwave3472

    I love how they explain it to us truthfully and dont try and make it not gross or scary

  • Hotdog

    mt kids love it for school work about egypt

  • Devaney

    I love how much facts or on here

  • Lucy

    Wow

  • lucy

    I think it is amazing,I love ancient Egyptians this gave me lots of great facts.from reading this I have learnt 10 new cool facts about ancient Egyptians.

  • claire

    wow that was so cool. i love is websight

  • shauntaya

    i love mummys yolo

  • Spike

    Awesome, Cool!!

  • Puppy

    Scary but epic

  • Frankie

    THIS STUFF IS SO COOLLLLLLLLL

  • Rocco

    Awesome its the best

  • Rocco

    Its awesome I love it

  • Carmen Guadalupe Ortega Aguillon

    I like the ancient Egyptians I hered that a queen turn to be a king and that her name was hatshepsut Lol #cool

  • uriah17

    Why are they all bald?

  • Lorie132

    Kewl

  • Carmen Guadalupe Ortega Aguillon

    This an awesome website lol join this website and if you like this website make a comment # national geographic

  • Connor

    Very good. People who would mumify people would probably follow that instruction.

  • Angelina37251

    STOP TALKING ABOUT MUMMIES (even though I enjoy knowing about mummies) Im doing a project about Egypt, its a board game and it has information that is in this website. :)

  • arifah

    helped me a lot cause i am learning about egyptions

  • emily

    The worst thing is that taking of the brain out from the nose :( but i like it all

  • noah

    that was so awsome

  • harry

    I learned a lot about egypt and i really liked it.

  • Fancy

    omg i was about the throw up about the nose part Dx but all the other bits i was safe haha. (^-^)

  • Juan

    I like this website. It is truly the best ever.

  • valery

    that was cool :

  • Savvytabby

    Thats not weird at all

  • Natalia

    I love this site it has lots of info for school projects

  • mike360

    mummys are asome

  • kylee

    I love this website

  • freddo

    SICK! this realy helped

  • freddo

    ssssssssssiiiick i love mummies!

  • rihannalee

    whoa, this is so boring (just kidding) c:

  • Rebeka

    This is intresting but it was grose!

  • Paige

    I love mummys they are so cool

  • 123

    cooooollll

  • princesslulubella

    I love learning how they pull out the brain.I aspecially love learning about mummies.

  • BILLY BOG JOE1

    THIS READING WAS VERY SICK HOW DO YOU PEOPLE DO THIS

  • lauren

    They are interesting but kind of gross. I did not know they took the organs out of the dead body when they made the mummy. I also did not know they took the brane out by taking it through the nose.

  • joshua

    this is so cool

  • tiwan hi juako 234

    that is very funny

  • ciara

    Mummy are very intersing !

  • Akasha

    I love ancient Egypt because its SO!!!!!!!! FASCINATING . The treasure the mummification Its All Fascinating . DID YOU NOW THE MOST FAMOUS PHARAOHS WERE : Tutucamun and the last pharaoh lived was Cleopatra .

  • Jellyjojo2908

    Helped me a lot .Go Egyt!

  • michael

    this will help so much with the book i am writing. even though my story is fiction. THX NGK!!!!

  • ash61966

    Thank you for that information this year when I go back to school I am learning about Ancient Egyptian . I needed that !Whoo!

  • jg4444

    IT LOOKS GROSS!!!!

  • jaz

    very,very useful towards my project thanks a lot

  • Holly

    Cool my topic was egyptians

  • Holly

    Very helpful

  • Hashaam

    I knew that already

  • fielx

    That was great thanks:-)

  • maddison

    Egypt things are so cool

  • moska

    wow i know a song that shows you how to make a mummie

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