Die Like an Egyptian

June's class has been working on an Egyptian unit. This included mummifying a chicken. She has talked about it for weeks. Lots of salt. And taking turns holding the gross chicken.

It all ended today when they buried the chickens, to be unearthed in May. They will then examine them to see how well they have been preserved. (In essence they will be tomb raiders.)

I need to apologize in advance. I normally keep my camera at a setting to absorb the most light possible from our dim house. However, when you take that camera, at said setting, and use it on an extremely bright day, you get blown photos. Oops. On the positive side, at least I got pictures.

All the kids assumed different roles for the burial procession and ceremony. There were the Oxen who pulled the carcasses.

The goddesses.

The guards.

Pharaoh's wives. Multiple.

Did you see June? A friend loaned her a costume. Rachel, at the other end, had the exact same costume.

Now the gods. (One of them is a crocodile.)

The mourners.

The priests.

I can't look at them without thinking of these two for some reason.

They all lined up in the appropriate order and followed the oxen to the burial site.

The priests then read from the Book of the Dead. (Something about their mouths being open to....okay, I don't remember. But their mouths were supposed to be open.)

The Pharaoh's wives then gave the eulogies for each chicken. June's group named their chicken Cluckstet. Others I liked were Ra Chicken, and Chicknubis. I can't remember them all, but they each had a different story and obituary. I liked Hannah's chicken that established Cow Fil-A to combat the evil Chick Fil-A. I didn't get a picture of the eulogies, because I took a video.

After the chickens had been eulogized, the gods weighed their hearts to see if they would be accepted in the underworld? Still not clear on all the details. I just know that June said Cluckstet was not fairly weighed because they included her lungs as well. (Don't worry, they were using Reese's Pieces, not real chicken pieces.) I think the Crocodile was eating the pieces that were found unworthy?

Now to the grave site, which was in the shade. (Yay, normal looking pictures.)

Here are the Pharaoh's wives lined up to inter the bodies.

June gently placed Cluckstet to rest with her fellow mummified chicks.

May they rest in peace. (At least until May.)

One more group photo. Holly (on the very right) cracks me up. She looks like a little Samurai.

It was a wonderful funeral, despite the frigid temperatures. It was REALLY cold, but everyone seemed to have a great attitude. (Except the mourners...they were kind of downers.)

Good job June. Way to walk like an Egyptian.