Year 7 Humanities
In Humanities, we learned about how Ancient Egyptians preserved bodies through mummification. To help us better understand the process, we conducted our own experiment using apples.
Each student placed half an apple into a cup filled with salt. We used bi-carb soda and salt, while the Ancient Egyptians used natron. Mrs Witte’s apple half was placed in a sealed container without any salt so we could compare the results. Both apples were left for around 35 days.
When we checked them, the salted apple had become dehydrated, shrivelled, and much smaller, but surprisingly it didn’t smell. In contrast, the apple in the sealed container was soft, wet, and covered in mould. Water had collected inside the container, and it likely would have smelled very unpleasant.
This experiment showed us how Ancient Egyptians used salt to remove moisture from bodies during mummification. It helped us understand that mummification was a scientific process rather than magic. By drying out the body, they were able to preserve it for thousands of years. Our apple became like a mini “mummy,” demonstrating just how effective salt can be in slowing down decay.
I found this experiment really interesting because we could clearly see the difference between preservation and decay.
Dhruva - 7E
In Humanities, we have been learning about Ancient Egypt and the importance of the mummification process in Ancient Egyptian beliefs. Egyptians believed that the items buried with a person would travel with them into the afterlife. One important part of the body that was carefully preserved was the heart, as it was believed to hold a person’s emotions, intelligence, and memories.
To help us understand how mummification worked, we carried out an experiment using apples. Each student decorated a cup to act as a “tomb” before placing an apple inside. We then covered the apples with a salt mixture similar to natron, which Ancient Egyptians used during mummification. At the same time, a regular apple was placed in a sealed container without any salt so we could compare the results.
After a few weeks, we noticed a big difference between the two apples. The apple in the container had become mouldy and fuzzy, while the salted apple had shrunk as the moisture was removed. Even though it looked very different, it was well preserved.
This experiment gave us a better understanding of how Ancient Egyptians used salt to slow down decay and preserve bodies for the afterlife. It was really interesting to see how such a simple process could make such a dramatic difference.
Maika - 7E