Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

Mike Smith:

Do your children wonder why the splendors of Ancient Egypt have survived so long? How have wooden objects from the time of the pharaohs remained intact? Archaeologists have even discovered food that was preserved since the time of the pharaohs.

The answer to all these questions is Egypt’s hot, dry desert climate. Because there is hardly any moisture in the air, objects decay much more slowly than in cool, wet climates. Wooden objects buried in sand last longer than if they were buried in mud or dirt. The earliest Egyptians even buried their dead directly in the sand, which preserved the bodies for thousands of years. Later, when the Egyptians began to bury their dead in simple graves or elaborate pyramids, they had to come up with a different way to preserve the bodies. In a process called mummification, they dried out the bodies with a kind of salt, then wrapped them in multiple layers of cloth and spices. Mummies were so well preserved that when archaeologists unwrap them today, their faces, fingernails, and toenails are still clearly visible.

While the ancient Egyptians might not have fully understood the chemical processes of preservation, the knowledge that they did have allowed them to leave behind detailed clues long after their civilization had faded away. Today, science can give your children the tools they need to understand the world around them. And until next time, I’m Mike Smith.