EgyptandItsPeople2ndEdit

Egypt and Its People
Egypt, a modern country now going through chaos and turmoil, is a country in Northern Africa. It is surrounded by Israel, Sudan, and Libya. Now, Egypt is going through a time of protests and destruction. But long ago, it wasn’t like that. The people of Ancient Egypt built enormous pyramids and breath-taking tombs and sphinx. They depended on the Nile, the largest river that flowed through Egypt. It is also the longest river in the world.
The Nile was always a source of life for the ancient Egyptians. Their lives were centered on the Nile. Many called Egypt the gift of the river because the Nile’s yearly floods brought down rich alluvial soil in which they grew their food. The Nile was also used for fishing. However, the Nile wasn’t only a source of food and water. Religious rituals, work and pleasure were all tuned to the rhythms of the floods. The seasons were even named after them. For example, spring was called “the time of the first flood.”
Like always, life always comes and goes. Death sometimes comes and takes one away. When someone died in ancient Egypt, there were many beliefs and customs that followed death. You may see the old pyramids and amazing tombs and your teacher might have told you that they were all for the dead kings and queens and the other high class. But he/she probably didn’t tell you all about the customs.
The Egyptians believed that after death, life continued. There were three ways life continued. First, the spirit lived on in the tomb as much as it had on Earth. The second was that the spirit flew freely about the earth during the day, but needed to return to the body at night. The last was that the spirit journeyed to the Underworld for judgment.
When the spirit went into the Underworld, there were several steps that were needed to be done. First, the dead body had to be embalmed to preserve it. The body was embalmed with several steps. People could be embalmed using three different methods depending on their level or status in society. Each method was used according to their income.
The most elaborate way of embalming was very expensive. The embalmer took out the brain through the nostrils using an iron hook. The remaining brain tissue was extracted by pouring various drugs into the cavity. Second, the embalmed made a slit in the side of the body and removed the organs and contents of the belly. Later, it was cleaned with palm wine and groundup spices. It was filled with myrrh, cassia, and of other spices. Finally, it was sewn up. After this was done, the body was packed with salt. After 40 days, the embalmer treated it with oil or other special ointment and rolled it up in strips of fine linen that had been smeared with gym. If the body didn’t look like a normal human body, pads were inserted.
The second way was less expensive and less complicated. The body was injected with a syringe of cedarwood oil. The body was placed in a salt called natron. After 40 days, the oil was let out and the organs came out with it. The organs were already dissolved from the powerful oil. Then, all that was left of the body was skin and bones. The body was given back to the family for burial. The cheapest way to embalm a person was to remove the bowels and the body was packed with salt. Embalming was good and important because it prevented the spread of disease and it helped the survivors. Embalming prevented the spread of disease by killing the bacteria inside. After the embalmment, the deceased’s tomb was filled with provisions. There were also furniture, clothing, food, books, toys, musical instruments, precious jewelry, weapons for protection, and gifts for the gods. The walls and coffins were decorated with images of other things the dead person might need. The Egyptians Book of the Dead was also placed in there to guide the dead person through the Underground.