38 ELLIOT SMITH, Distribution of Mummification. 



artificially to preserve the body was found in a rock-cut 

 tomb of the Second Dynasty, at Sakkara. It is important 

 to note that the body was lying in a flexed position upon 

 the left side, and was contained in a short wooden coffin, 

 modelled like a house. The limbs were wrapped separately 

 and large quantities of fine linen bandages had been 

 applied around all parts of the body, so as to mould the 

 wrapped mummy to a life-like form. 



Thus in the earliest mummy — or, to be strictly 

 accurate, in the remains which exhibit the earliest 

 evidence of the attempt at embalming — we find exem- 

 plified the two objects that the Ancient Egyptian em- 

 balmer aimed at throughout the whole history of his craft, 

 viz., to preserve the actual tissues of the body, as well as 

 the form and likeness of the deceased as he was when alive. 



From the first the embalmer realised the limitations 

 of his craftsmanship, i.e., that he was unable to make the 

 body itself lifelike. Hence he strove to preserve its tissues 

 and then to make use of its wrappings for the purpose of 

 fashioning a model or statue of the dead man. At first 

 this was done while the body was flexed in the traditional 

 manner. But soon the flexed position was gradually 

 abandoned. Perhaps this change was brought about 

 because it was easier to model the superficial form of a 

 wrapped body when extended ; and the greater success 

 of the results so obtained may have been sufficiently 

 important to have outweighed the restraining influence of 

 tradition. The change may have occurred all the more 

 readily at this time as beds were coming into use, and the 

 idea of placing the " sleeping " body on a bed may have 

 helped towards the process of extension. 



But whatever view is taken of the explanation of the 

 change of the attitude of the body, it is certain that it 

 began soon after the first attempts at mummification 



