How long does it take for a mummy to dry out in the process of mummifying?

Answer 1

Mummification technology changed over time in ancient Egypt. Experiments carried out on animal corpses at Manchester Museum in the UK in the 1970s demonstrated that the quantity and freshness of natron used had a significant impact on how long a body took to dry out.

Using large quantities of fresh (unused) natron dried out a body in 30 to 40 days, but using natron which had previously been used made the drying process much longer. It is believed that the same batch of natron was often re-used many times, producing variable results and mummies that were not well-preserved.

We know that the standard period for the entiremummification process in ancient Egypt (including preparing the corpse, removal of internal organs, religious ceremonies, drying and wrapping the corpse and making and decorating the coffins) was 70 days.

Answer 2

70 days