Make a Mummy - Fondulac District Library

Egyptian mummies are one of the most fascinating parts of Ancient Egyptian culture. One of the ways they prepared for the afterlife was to try and preserve the body as long as possible. This was done through a process called embalming, and these embalmed bodies are called mummies.

Learn more about mummies with DK Find Out’s interactive Ancient Egypt map to explore mummies, boats, warriors, pharaohs, and more. Or watch this video with the Met Museum’s #metkids investigator to discover all the details about mummification.

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/online-features/metkids/videos/MetKids-How-Were-Mummies-Made-in-Ancient-Egypt

Make a Mummy!

In this fun activity, we will recreate a mummy, wrap it in linen, and bury it in a sarcophagus — all with materials you probably already have in your home!

Wrap the Mummy

You will need:

Clay or a small doll
Coffee filters
Water

Make your own mummy out of clay by forming the clay into the form of a person laying down. Here’s video of how I made mine.

If you don’t have clay, you can use a small doll, like the link below for making your sarcophagus suggests.

After I made the mummy, I wrapped it in “linens” using coffee filters and a little water.

Cut the coffee filter into strips.
Drip water over them to make them damp, not soaked.
Wrap your mummy in the coffee filter “linens” to preserve it!

Here’s the video!

Create the Sarcophagus

Once you’ve wrapped your mummy, you are ready to create the sarcophagus. Watch the video for a visual demonstration.

Either bake the mummy and sarcophagus in the oven for a quicker dry time, like the instructions suggest, or let the sarcophagus sit out overnight. If you make the sarcophagus a bit too wet, like I did, you might want to wrap the parchment paper around it to keep its shape as it dries. Once it’s dry, feel free to paint and decorate your mummy. You can also create a story or history about your mummy with clues and hieroglyphics, and then excavate and discover your mummy like an anthropologist! (Visit this link for baking instructions and ideas for painting your mummy.)

We also have lots of books at the library and on hoopla if you’d like to read more about mummies and Ancient Egypt.

Check out at FDL