Do mummies give you the creeps? Some of them are more horrifying, as shown in the image above, even more when you know the history behind the conservation of this type of corpse. Without a doubt, the most mysterious mummies in all of history are the “swamp mummies”, huhuhuhuhu!
The story is full of secrets, not least because the faces of the mummies found in the swamp reveal that people were in pain, screaming and probably very frightened when they died, with ropes tied to their hands and wrapped around the neck. Apparently, they were victims of violent death in sacrificial rituals, and, soon after, thrown into the swamp so as not to leave a trace, unlike the famous mummies of Egypt, where the honor of having the body mummified was worthy only of kings, pharaohs, queens, in short, the nobility Egyptian. In this case, the process was carried out by capable people (embalming priests) and the corpse had its identity preserved by death masks and bands wrapped around the body.
The swamp mummies date from 2000 BC. C, and were found in northern European countries: England, Holland, Germany, Denmark and Ireland. The mummification in this case did not occur on purpose, it was a work of nature, and, therefore, there is always a mystery about the process. But with a little help from chemistry, we can understand the external factors that led to the conservation of this type of mummy.
The high levels of acidity in the waters where the relics were found may justify the phenomenon. Have you noticed how the acids conserve well? A practical example is the preservation of peppers by adding vinegar (acetic acid).
The sum of other factors, such as temperature below 4°C and lack of oxygen (oxidative agent), also contributed to efficient mummification. Cold, non-oxygenated environments are less prone to the appearance of bacteria.
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By Líria Alves
Graduated in Chemistry
Brazil School Team
See more!
Tanopraxis – method used to conserve corpses.
Chemistry Curiosities - Chemistry - Brazil School
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
SOUZA, Líria Alves de. "Are you afraid of mummies?"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/quimica/voce-tem-medo-mumias.htm. Accessed on June 28, 2021.
