Mummification dates back to ancient Egypt and involves removing a dead body's organs before wrapping it in sheets. Various cultures across the world have practiced mummification.

The most popular method of embalming originated in ancient Egypt around 3500 BC. Metal rods were used to liquefy brain tissue by inserting them through the nasal cavity and draining the contents through the nose.

The remaining organs were taken out, and the body was cleansed with palm wine and spices. The body is put into a salt called natron and left to dry for 40 days.

Then it’s wrapped with linen sheets, and priests put special items between the sheets to help the person in the afterlife. A final layer of resin is added to protect against moisture. Lastly, the body is put in a box and sealed in a tomb.

The Chinchorro people in present-day Chile also preserved their dead bodies to keep them safe. The Chinchorro method of preserving corpses was more sophisticated than that of the Egyptians.

This method involved securely wrapping the body with reeds and covering the face with a clay mask.

Shingon Buddhism school from the 11th to 19th centuries introduced another embalming technique in Japan.

When a monk felt death was near, they started eating pine needles, nuts, roots, and tree buds, which purged their body of fat and muscle and postponed decay after death.

Next, the monks were embalmed alive, drinking salt water for 100 days. When death was imminent, they were laid in a charcoal-lined pine box with a bamboo shoot for air.

After they passed, the box was sealed and checked for signs of decay. If the body was found, it was subject to exorcism and reburial. If not, it was preserved as a mummy.

Other cultures, such as those in Africa, Hungary, and Australia, still practice mummification today.