Necromancy skills: Mummification and Preservation.
One of the key skills required to create some of the most powerful necromantic talismans and foci is a firm grasp on mummification and preserving organic materials. In this lecture i will cover the mummification process as practiced by the Egyptians in a secular manner, to be adapted into one’s own path.
Key knowledge/Foundations:
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These are the logical foundations of the mummification process.
+ Microbiology:
• Bacteria rapidly decompose organic matter.
• Bacteria need water to survive.
Therefore: Bacteria are the enemy of the mage attempting to preserve a specimen and must be eradicated hastily, less they destroy the specimen from the inside.
The mage must remove as much water and bodily fluids as possible in order to assure the specimen will last long past death.
+ Osmosis:
• Water will (if possible) go from high concentrations to lower concentrations. Water will pass through any permeable tissues and membranes in order to achieve this.
• Water dissolves salt, and as salt has no moisture, osmosis will attempt to equalize the moisture content between the salt and the water, drawing moisture out from anything around the salt.
Therefore: Using salt is an effective way to draw moisture out from your specimen, killing any bacteria and preventing the growth of new ones inside the specimen.
Your specimen must be dead for no more than two days or kept frozen before starting this process. Use your own judgment to know if the subject is in a state worth preserving.
Once you have acquired your specimen, assess what the best course of action is:
Resin dip:
The fastest and cheapest way to mummify a specimen. This process was the most common method of mummifying pets and small animals in ancient Egypt. See “resin dip”
Traditional mummification:
This is the possess used on humans by the ancient Egyptians up until the 18th dynasty, it leaves you with the most authentic style of mummy and can be used on almost any animal with minimal damage to the specimen.
Wet preserve:
For the smallest and most fragile specimens.
Refer to “Preserving individual pieces” for instructions.
Drying:
For small specimens like hands and feet. Refer to “Preserving individual pieces” for instructions.
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+Salt: Traditionally, natron salt was used in the making of mummies. If you can’t afford natural natron salt, it can be made with the following recipe:
¼ unit of finely ground sea salt
½ unit of sodium carbonate (powdered bleach, found in the laundry aisle)
½ unit of sodium bicarbonate
+ Resin:
You will need a fair bit of resin for any mummy, for a specimen 20cm in length, i recommend 8 cups of resin. I recommend pine resin but any NON SYNTHETIC resin will work just fine.
+ Linen wraps:
These are just as functional as they are cosmetic. Wrapping your mummy will keep insects, bacteria and moisture off the body, as well keeping the body from falling apart with the slightest movement. Cut strips 15 - 20cm across and 3 - 5cm wide for your bandages.
+ Sharp and sterile blades
+ Herbs and spices:
Use cinnamon, lavender and other herbs and spices between bandages, not only does it hide the scent of the body, but it also keeps away insects.
Make a small incision left side of the specimen’s abdomen. If the subject is 15cm or smaller, it is best to make a shallow cut down the middle of the animal, as to avoid damaging the subject too heavily with blind prodding. From your incision, remove all organs as carefully as possible. Take extra care with the digestive tract as it is host to tons of bacteria which can ruin your specimen if released. If desired, one may leave the heart in place as the Egyptians did.
With the body now hollowed out, wrap a table spoon of natron salt and any desired herbs in linen to form a small parcel. Place the parcel into the body through the incision and repeat the process until the body regains it’s shape, finish by sewing the incision shut and pouring melted resin or wax over it to seal it shut.
The brain and eyes can be left in their place if desired, they will shrivel, shrink and dry with the rest of the body during the drying process.
If desired, your subject should be shaved/defeathered completely before the next process, this will prevent any chance of the body not drying out entirely, Resin sticking and clumping to the fur/feather/hair or for any parasites such as fleas to remain on the subject.
At this point the eyelids, vagina (if applicable) and mouth are sewn shut and the subject may be castrated if the mage feels it necessary.
Any removed organs can be wet preserved or thrown away to the mages liking (see “wet preserve” in “Preserving individual pieces”).
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Spread a layer 3cm thick of natron salt down on your drying table or container. Rest your specimen down on it in the position desired and proceed to cover the subject completely in the salt. For the most optimal drying environment, the table or container should be in a room with high temperatures, low humidity and good ventilation. The total drying time is 35 days - 2 months with salt changes every seven days. During these salt changes, the specimen should be inspected thoroughly for maggots or decay. maggots or eggs should be pulled out and any holes caused by them filled with salt to destroy any beneath the skin. Decay should be monitored closely and recorded as thoroughly as possible to note chages or spread.
Once the subject is completely dry, move on to the next step.
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Step Three: Resin and Wrapping.
After melting your resin in a double boiler, fill a syringe with it and use the syringe to fill the anus and ear canal, preventing insects from crawling into the body.
Next, we will either submerge the specimen in or pour the melted resin over the subject, with care taken to cover the specimen only where the mage wishes to wrap the mummy, some mages will wrap the whole body, others only from the neck down.
Quickly, before the resin hardens, the mage must wrap the specimen in the linen bandages, starting from the legs and arms (or wings) and moving on to the body, tail, neck and head and adding in herbs and spices between the bandages. If a thicker, stronger and longer lasting mummy is required, repeat the process again as needed.
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Preserving individual pieces:
For the smaller bits or individual organs, different techniques can be employed.
Baking:
For pieces like the severed hand, foot or tail, fill a deep baking tray 1/3 with natron salt, place the subject(s) in and cover them in more salt*. Place it in the oven at low heat for 9 hours to melt off a majority of the fats in the subject without cooking it. After removing it from the oven, place it in a bowl of salt and proceed with drying as explained in step two.
*it is important to leave the piece in whatever position desired before placing it in the oven as it will stiffen after baking.
Resin dip:
Refer to “Resin dip”
Wet preserve:
I will refer the reader to this most excellent source for a complete guide on how to accomplish wet preservation: http://mickeyalicekwapis.com/blog/2015/9/10/wet-specimens-a-general-guide
Resin Dip:
The absolute laziest and cheapest way to mummify a subject. I warn you that your specimen may loose shape or decay under the resin UNLESS you use this to preserve a peice of a specimen (Tail, ear, Finger etc).
Prepare a container just deep and narrow enough to fit your specimen with melted resin and proceed to dip the specimen completely into the resin. Hang the subject to drip any excess resin before wrapping it in linen. This can and has been done with entire specimens but i urge you to use this only for pieces of a specimen.
I plan on teaching how to apply this into making talismans at a future date.