The process of mummification is the process through which the skin and flesh of a dead body are preserved. This preservation may happen naturally or be done intentionally by humans. Natural mummification happens when exposed to particular environments, such as freezing temperatures, acidic bogs, or dry climates. One well-known example of intentional mummification originated in ancient Egypt, where corpses were covered in bandages to prevent decay and preserve the body for the journey to the afterlife.
Preserved bodies, including humans and animals, have been unearthed on every continent, often resulting from natural preservation or cultural practices. In Egypt, more than a million animal mummies have been found, many of them cats. The method of mummification in ancient Egypt was very symbolic. Egyptians would extract the brain using a hook through the nasal cavity, and removed all major internal organs, keeping only the heart inside the body. This was due to the belief that the heart played a key role in the ceremony in the afterlife. The other organs were put into canopic jars, which were laid to rest with the body.
In modern times, mummification is being used differently in certain BDSM practices. Here, the practice of wrapping the body is part of role-playing scenarios, where one person, known as the "slave," is completely wrapped by another, the "master." The nose is left uncovered to ensure oxygen flow. The items used to wrap the body vary from duct tape, plastic wrap, to bandages. Though the activity retains the term mummification, its purpose in BDSM is focused on restraint and control instead of maintaining the body's condition.
**In summary**
Mummification has undergone vast changes from its beginning in ancient burial rituals to modern-day practices in alternative lifestyles. Although its original intention was to preserve the body for the afterlife, the modern interpretation focuses on power dynamics. Though these two forms differ, both forms of mummification reflect a deep human interest in control, whether over death or within social relationships.