Ancient Egyptians believed in an immortal soul and thought that embalming, the act of temporarily preserving a body for funeral or transport, preserved the body so that the soul could someday return. The science of embalming began over three thousand years ago in Egypt. Bodies in Egypt decomposed quickly due to heat and bacteria. The mummification process allowed for bodies to be preserved and not disintegrate. There are five steps in the process:3
1. Remove the brain: this was done through the nostrils with special hooks.
2. Remove the internal organs: these were removed through the chest and then placed into special jars to be buried with the mummy.
3. Immerse the body in salt: this step thoroughly dried the body.
4. Dehydrate the body in the sun: this step got rid of any moisture left.
5. Wrap the body in bandages: hundreds of yards of bandages were needed to wrap a single body.
The mummification process would take up to seventy days to complete. Because of the elaborate process, mummification was expensive. Although some common people were buried like mummies, it was mostly prevalent for pharaohs and members of nobility. That being said, it’s interesting to note that some animals were also mummified, especially if they were considered to have religious significance. There are even cases of “self-mummifying” found in Buddhist culture. Sokushinbutsu is the practice of reducing food and water intake to eventually die and become a mummy.
A depiction of the mummification process in ancient Egypt.
How were bodies treated for burial in other cultures? In Persia, bodies were placed on a high rock and left for birds and dogs to devour. After the bones had been stripped, they were buried in a pit. Ancient Mayans buried their dead with corn in their mouths as a symbol of rebirth. Romans believed in keeping the living and the dead separate and only buried bodies outside of the city walls while ancient Greeks believed the afterlife existed underground.4
When did embalming become common practice? The anatomy acts of 1832 and 1883 allowed medical professionals to make many medical and scientific discoveries. Previous to this law, only the corpses of executed murderers could be used for the study of anatomy. Some medical schools were resorting to grave robbery to learn about and practice dissection. By allowing the dead to be used more readily, advancements were made in how to embalm bodies. Embalming bodies, as we do today, came into common practice during the Civil War.5
Many horror movies have scenes that take place in funeral homes or mortuaries. I’m Not a Serial Killer (2016) features several scenes of embalming and funeral home work. The Netflix series The Haunting of Hill House (2018) explores death and how the viewing of a deceased loved one could be cathartic. What are the current scientific practices in embalming bodies or preparing them for burial? The first step is to wash the body in a disinfectant solution. Limbs are massaged to relieve the stiffening of the joints and muscles and the body’s eyes are closed using glue or plastic eye caps. The lower jaw is secured by wires or sewing and can be manipulated into a desired position. During the surgical portion of the embalming process, blood is removed from the body through the veins and replaced with formaldehyde-based chemicals. Next, the body’s cavities are embalmed. A small incision is made in the lower part of the abdomen and the organs in the chest cavity and abdomen are punctured and drained of gas and fluid contents. Once the incision is closed, the process is complete. For those choosing an open casket for their funeral, hair is washed and styled and makeup is applied. How did or do people around the world hold funerals for the dead? In some cultures, it was thought that the best way to honor the dead was to eat them. Endocannibalism was practiced in parts of Papua New Guinea and Brazil and thought to create a permanent connection between the living and the dead. In funeral practices of the Marinoa people of Australia, corpses were left to decompose and the liquid from the body was collected. The thought was that the good qualities of the person who died would be passed on through this liquid so it was rubbed on others.6
More modern funeral and burial practices include cremation, turning the deceased’s body into beads, and other environmentally friendly techniques. Some people are choosing to skip embalming and instead be buried in biodegradable coffins. Whatever you choose to do with your remains, hopefully you can rest peacefully knowing that scientific advances have only helped our chances of avoiding problems that The Mummy had.
SECTION FIVE
THE POSSESSED
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
THE EXORCIST
Year of Release: 1973
Director: William Friedkin
Writer: William Peter Blatty
Starring: Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair
Budget: $12 million
Box Office: $441.3 million
In 1973, audiences lined up in droves to see The Exorcist. Footage from that era shows people excited to enter the movie theater, akin to Black Friday shoppers, with smiles on their faces. The footage of audiences exiting tells a different story; people look noticeably freaked out. Some even reportedly fainted or vomited during the movie. Whether you saw the iconic movie in the theater when it first came out or years later, it certainly leaves a lasting impression. The Exorcist was based on a novel of the same name by William Peter Blatty, which came to life after Blatty read an article about a fourteen-year-old boy who was possessed by demons. The article stated that a priest performed an exorcism and the boy was able to go on with his life. The idea stuck with Blatty and the novel (1971) was written after years of research. He was able to talk to the priest who performed the exorcism and changed some details in order to protect the boy’s anonymity.
The exorcism of Robbie Doe, or Roland, has been investigated and refuted by some but the facts remain. In 1949, a boy was hospitalized and more than one priest performed the exorcism ritual on him. The story begins with the family of the boy reporting strange happenings in their home: objects flying around the boy, his bed shaking, and scratching noises in the walls. Their local pastor put them in touch with a priest who claimed to have witnessed the same phenomenon when around the boy. On August 19th, 1949, The Evening Star in Washington, D.C., featured the article “ Priest Freed Boy of Possession by Devil, Church Sources Say.”1 The article opens by saying, “A Catholic priest has successfully freed a fourteen-year-old Mount Rainier, Maryland, boy of reported possession by the devil here early this year, it was disclosed today.” The article also states that the boy was studied at both Georgetown University Hospital and St. Louis University.