4 Unknown Facts About Egyptian Mummies That You Never Heard Of
#4 The Curse of the Mummy
The phrase ‘Ancient Egypt’ conjures many mysterious and mystical thoughts: from the Great Pyramid to the giant Sphinxes, King Tut to animal-headed gods, and God forbid, even the scary mummies.
But how much do you really know about the preserved inhabitants that occupy a large graveyard portion in Egypt even today? After reading the following facts, you will realize that the Ancient Egyptian mummies were far more than tightly wrapped bodies.
1. Healing mummies
From 400 AD until the early 19th century, mummies were used as medicine worldwide. This practice came from most Europeans believing that Egyptian bodies were treated with natural bitumen that imparted them with medicinal properties. However, this was not true.
The Ancient Egyptians used resin and not bitumen. However, it was good that they consumed resin, not bitumen, which has recently been classified as a carcinogen.
In medieval Europe, the elites would purchase ground mummies as medicines. When Egyptian mummies were not available, remnants of human bodies were also used.
The ground, dried human remains were mixed with honey to produce a sweet-tasting medicine. To produce more…
