Attempts to preserve corpses during the bronze age in the Near East outside of Egypt.

Abstract

Egypt is well-known as a treasure trove for mummification methods, and new developments in mummy coffins and mummified remains continue to make headlines. Numerous scholars have demonstrated the existence of practices for the preservation of corpses in the Near East. This thesis, however, takes an interdisciplinary approach to investigate this phenomenon during the Bronze Age in the Near East, focusing on the regions of Iraq and Qatana in particular. Using the methods from archaeology, anthropology, and history, this investigation aims to disentangle the knotty history of this practice. In addition, the study examines the chosen regions' burial practices, archaeological artefacts, and preserved skeletons. The overarching purpose is to draw attention to body preservation methods and the fundamental ideas behind them. Further, to the beliefs of the countries of the Middle East. It is well-documented that ancient Egyptians believed a person's body needed to be preserved until their next rebirth in the afterlife. The ancient Egyptians believed that their khats, or bodies, would be revived after reaching the afterlife. When the Egyptians realized that their dead would decay, they started viewing the corpses as a sort of vehicle for the dead people's spirits. In case the ghost wanted to make a return visit, the body was dismembered and covered in bandages. The similarities between these ideas and those of Ur and Qatana do not indicate any mutual influence between the three civilizations. This research reveals multiple approaches, from simple dehydration to the complex artificial mummification procedure used in Ur, Iraq, and Qatana, Syria. It demonstrates the high social position of those interred by displaying the ornate design and magnificence of the tombs. While the study confirms the presence of significant evidence of the burials of Mesopotamian kings in Ur, the graves at Qatana show the international influences of the Late Bronze Age. This also demonstrates that diverse cultures have always had unique methods for preserving bodies using everyday materials like resins and oils. These discoveries help us learn more about the cultural norms of the time in Qatna and Ur, illuminating the significance of remembering the dead. In Egypt, there is a similar level of interest.