The great land along the banks of the Nile has been mentioned extensively in history. The Ancient Egyptians originally threw their dead bodies into pits of sand. Later, they decided to put their dead in coffins, but the bodies quickly decayed. But soon they developed a method of preserving bodies called mummification.
In mummification, all the internal organs of the dead are removed, and the body is then covered with a mixture of salt called natron. The body is then wrapped in linen, with protective amulets inserted between layers and placed in a decorated anthropoid coffin. All burials, regardless of social status, included goods for the deceased. Wealthy Egyptians were buried with larger quantities of luxury items.
With the beginning of the New Kingdom, books of the dead were included in the grave, along with statues that were believed to perform manual labour for the dead in the afterlife. Rituals in which the deceased were magically re-animated accompanied burials. After burial, living relatives were expected to occasionally bring food to the tomb and recite prayers.
