Why was natron important to the ancient Egyptians?

Why was natron important to the ancient Egyptians?

Later, in order to protect the bodies from wild animals, the Egyptians developed a method of preservation to ensure the bodies would remain ‘lifelike’ by using a special mineral known as natron.

How did the Egyptians make natron?

Natron was stripped from the body’s skin after 40 days and the cavities were filled with items such as linen, herbs, sand, and sawdust. The skin was coated with resin, then the body was wrapped in resin-coated linen bandages. This entire process took about two and a half months for those that could afford to embalm.

Where was natron found in ancient Egypt?

Natron is a naturally-occurring compound of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate. At the present time it is found in three localities in Egypt, two (the Wadi Na^run and the Behera province) in Lower Egypt and one (El-Kab) in Upper Egypt.

What is natron for kids?

Natron is an ingredient for making a color called Egyptian blue. It was used with sand and lime in ceramic and glass-making by the Romans and others at least until 640 CE. The mineral was also used as a flux to solder precious metals together.

Where can you find natron?

Natron is more limited in occurrence, but Africa contains several significant deposits. It is found in Lake Magadi, Kenya, and in Lake Natron, Tanzania, as well as in western Africa, where beds have been deposited from the waters of Lake Chad.

How much natron was needed for the mummification?

The ceremony required two kinds of natron, one sourced from northern (Lower) and one from southern (Upper) Egypt. Smin, smin opens thy mouth. One pellet of natron. O N., thou shalt taste its taste in front of the sḥ-ntr-chapels.

How do you say natron?

Break ‘natron’ down into sounds: [NAY] + [TRUHN] – say it out loud and exaggerate the sounds until you can consistently produce them.