mummification

[muhm-i-fi-kay-shuhn]

noun

1. the act or process of making a dead body into a mummy, as by embalming and drying.

2. the act or process of becoming or causing something to become dried and shriveled but otherwise intact, like a mummy.

3. the act of preserving an idea, institution, or custom that is no longer useful or relevant.

Example Sentences

His burial took place before artificial mummification was standard practice, which may have helped to preserve his DNA.

From BBC

Both bodies showed signs that they had fallen down abruptly and were partially decomposed, with bloating in the face and mummification in the hands and feet.

From Los Angeles Times

Arakawa's body showed signs of "decomposition", and "mummification" in the hands and feet, a sheriff's detective said.

From BBC

During the mummification process, ancient Egyptians would surround the body with pleasant smells as an important part of preparing a spirit to enter the afterlife.

From BBC

Well-preserved brain tissue has been recorded under some well-studied circumstances: mummification, freezing in permafrost, being tanned and preserved by acidic peat bogs.

From Science Magazine