Thousands of years ago.

Mummification, a pocess of treating, preserving a dead body for eternity.

The ancient Egyptians believed in an afterlife when someone died.

Mummification helped someone reach the afterlife as they believed that an afterlife could only exist if there was a form the ka (soul) could repossess after death.

Egyptians believed that the only way to do this was if the body was recognisable.

This is why they spent so long on the process of mummification and why Pharoahs began the building of their tombs during their lifetimes.

They developed a rigorous and specific process for mummification.

The entire mummification process took 70 days, according to History.com.

It was a blend of science and ceremony, as the body was preserved and believed to be prepared for the afterlife.

Mummification was mainly done to wealthy people as poorer people could not afford the process.

Source:- Northerngrumman