Mummification in Anatolion Turk culture

Mummification is an application which emerged as a reaction of humans to mortality. It offered a temporary consolation to those left behind and alleviated the pain of loss during the time of mourning.This tradition was carried out almost in all parts of the world with similar methods and materials. It was more frequently seen in Egypt where it began around 5000 B.C. and saw a longlasting development period culminating in excellence. The mummies which have survived until the present day provide the best evidence of this higly developed art.Mummification was also applied outside of Egypt but none of the other nations ever reached the perfection of the Egyptians. Egypt was always ahead of the other nations in terms of the excellence of its techniques , its contribution to science and its ubiquitous popularity.The Turks applied mummification in Central Asia and continued this practice after their settlement in Anatolia. After the Turks accepted Islam, this tradition was lost. It was only used in order to preserve the body of the Sultan during the Ottoman Period. When the Sultan died in a far country, it was mummified in order to preserve the body until it was transported to the tomb. It could also prevent potential political chaos due to the death of the Sultan.Nowadays, corpses are embalmed in order to halt their decay when they are transfered to far places and also to enable tissue examination in forensic cases.Recently, the popularity of plastination has increased. It can be considered as a modern version of mummification and seems to meet the need for the continuation of mummification.Mummification together with embalming and plastination continues to be the manifestation of the search of immortality.