Mummification, Contemporary

Principally, the process of mummification involves the desiccation of the body, thus differing from embalming, which substitutes bodily fluids for substances that slow down the process of decomposition. The ancient Egyptians perfected their technique over many hundreds of years. In the beginning, they struggled to achieve the same results that could be found within naturally desiccated bodies buried within the hot, dry desert sands. Their practice developed alongside religious and royal ideology, with the first individuals to be deliberately mummified being the Pharaohs of ancient Egypt in around 3400 B.C.E. The desire to achieve immortality through the preservation of the body became a practice that was extended down through the royal family, the nobility, and eventually the rest of the population. The treatment that was afforded the poor was of much lower quality than that given to the wealthy.

Contemporary Mummification

Today, a range of different methods are available concerning how the body is to be treated after death. However, the Church of Summum, based in Utah, prides itself on being the only organization to offer mummification as part of the funerary rites. It was publicly founded by Summum Bonem Amen Ra (formerly Claude Nowell) in 1975, taking inspiration from ancient Egyptian religious practices.

The term that Summum applies to their modern mummification procedure is “thanatogenetics.” Although this mummification has been adapted from the original concepts of ancient Egyptian practices, their techniques for preserving the body have been extensively researched. Ra spent years perfecting the method with colleagues and students at the Lynn University, Boca Raton, Florida, using over 30 human and 40 animal cadavers to find the best way to preserve remains. The actual tools and formula used are a heavily guarded secret, despite the amount of media attention that the organization has received. At the end of the treatment, the body is wrapped in multiple layers of gauze and cast in “mummiform” fiberglass. The entire process is intended to ensure that putrefaction does not occur and the genetic structure of the body remains “at an optimum,” which would in theory allow for DNA retrieval and perhaps the cloning of the deceased in the future.

The Church of Summum is a nonprofit organization, and costs for mummifying a family member or pet vary, with the money going toward the costs of materials used in the process. According to their website, this is a service that appeals to a variety of different people, ranging from those who feel drawn to elements of ancient belief systems to those who seek comfort in knowing that they will be preserved (and possibly remembered) for years to come. For many, inhumation and cremation are not desirable modes of burial, and therefore mummification may be the answer. The services proffered by Summum do not end with the mummification of the body. A special mausoleum “museum” is on offer to clients so that their bodies can be viewed and appreciated by family members, encouraging more of a relaxed and “at ease” view of death.

Even though the Church of Summum is fundamentally attempting to continue an ancient process, the fact remains that knowledge of many of the techniques employed by the ancient Egyptians are still lacking in detail. To learn more, a variety of different sources need to be studied—including the remains of the ancient Egyptians themselves. However, these bodies are precious and are embroiled in ethical [Page 762]debates concerning their study and display. As a result, Egyptologists and scientists have had to seek alternate means to test their hypotheses.

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