Mummified You?!

About a month ago, a Californian women was caught driving around with a mummified corpse in her trunk. To date, no new information has been determined as to who the body is.

Now, the first question I asked was how the heck did the body get mummified in the first place? Well, it's quite the process. In the days of King Tut in Egypt, first, all hair had to be shaved and all organs but the heart removed. Next, the body had to be dried completely by burying it in sand and rags or in dry grass. A drying chemical called natron was also applied to the body right before burial. 40 days later, they would dig it out and pour sweet smelling spices, oils, perfumes and herbs all over it. Then, they would cover the body in linen bandages. Jewels and other expensive trinkets were placed around it. If the person had been very wealthy, then the family could afford to put other precious things in the sarcophagus which is the box the mummy goes into. This is the process of mummification in a nutshell. Don't you feel smarter now? You learn something everyday, huh? : )


Now, this all got me thinking, what would I want put into the box with me. Well, the Egyptians believed that these things would protect you in the afterlife and aid in your travels. Hmmm, knowing that, I think that I would definitely want some money, a bottle of water, pictures of family and friends, good running/walking shoes, my iPod and some headphones.
I decided to take this further and ask a few friends the same question: If I mummified you now, what would you want to be buried with?

• Photos of my friends and family

• My Ipad and my Gold Fronts-Gold teeth. The kind that cover the entire front of your teeth on the top or bottom. They're removable. I figure if the pharaohs wanted to be buried in gold, so should I.

• I would say pics of my closest family and friends. I would want to be mummified in a really fly dress, with lots of makeup on and big eyelashes. Oh! And Bunny and April should be there too (my stuffed animals from childhood, they make me feel instantly comfortable).

• I think the ancient Egyptians mummified their dead to preserve the body in it's most *natural* state and to protect it from animals, etc. Along with the deceased they buried items that they thought the deceased might need in the afterlife. Given that, I'd like a diet Coke, a chapstick and a credit card. Sue Bug, if you are reading this, I think you'd agree. My wedding rings and photos of loved ones would be nice too.

• If my cat were already dead (or died with me somehow) I would want him buried with me. My MacBook. My quilt (with Burmese fabric). A bottle of good whiskey. Pictures of my family and friends. My Twins jersey. My teddy bear from my first Christmas. Maybe a pint of Ben and Jerry's Phish Food. Maybe that's it! I do have a lot of material possessions but it's the relationships in your life and the impression you leave in the end :)

Sure, this is a tad creepy and rather strange but the concept interests me. Can you imagine seriously making these demands before you die? What would you be mummified with?