An optional activity that many students enjoy is the mummification of a chicken. I recommend that students who are interested in this make a group of four to work together. That way responsibility for getting the supplies can be shared and I won’t have more mummies than my room can handle.

For students who want to do this at home, the directions are below.

Materials Needed:

  • one chicken (may be shared)
  • plastic gloves (one pair each week)
  • 26 oz. salt per chicken (each week)
  • 1/2 cup cheap aromatic spices per chicken (each week)
  • One roll of paper towels (each week)
  • One (gallon size) Zip-loc freezer strength bag (each week)
  • gauze strips (I’ll suggest the amount once the chickens are draining).
  • plastic containers to hold bagged chickens (in case of leakage) I’ll provide this in school.
  • one weight record sheet I’ll provide these in school.
  • Little “canopic” jars for preserving chicken guts(These are optional; guts can also be trashed.)

Procedure:

1. Weigh your chicken.

2. Wearing gloves, students will remove entrails from the chicken (Optional: These can be preserved in smaller baggies and put in baby food jars. Later, students can decorate the baby food jars with clay heads, turning them into canopic jars.)

3. At a sink, thoroughly rinse both inside and outside of chicken. Do this until the liquid runs clear.

4. Using paper towels (many will be needed), dry the chicken thoroughly inside and out, especially under the legs and wings. This is critical, since any moisture can create problems with the mummification process.

5. Rub the 1/2 cup of spices all over the chicken (inside and out). Any mixture of sweet-smelling (and cheap) spices will do. The purpose is to mask the odor of the decay which is about to take place.

6. Rub salt over the entire chicken, making sure that every inch is covered (and very dry).

7. Fill the cavity with salt.

8. Place the chicken in a Zip-loc bag. Seal the bag and place in a plastic tub (or bowl) in case the bag begins to leak. (As the process occurs, liquid will drain from the carcass).

9. Once a week for 4 or 5 weeks, open the bag and remove the chicken (be sure to wear gloves!). Weigh the chicken each time and record the weight. The chicken must be re-spiced, re-salted (inside the cavity and out), and replaced in a clean bag.

10. Repeat this process each week until no more liquid accumulates in the bag.

11. When the chicken is done, remove it from the bag. Weigh it one last time. Then wrap it in gauze strips or ripped muslin strips. Decorate with handmade "authentic" Egyptian amulets, medallions, jewels, etc.