Embalming

An 1870s embalming table made by The Gleason Board Company.

Embalming is the science of temporarily preserving human remains to forestall decomposition. The goal of the process is to make a corpse suitable for extended public viewing at a funeral.

Embalming was first practiced by ancient Egyptians during the process of mummification. They believed that the preservation of a mummy empowered the human soul to return to its corpse after death.

Some of the best preserved bodies in the world are a product of unique embalming methods practiced around 200 BCE by the Han dynasty of China. It is believed that both the exceptionally low depth at which their tombs were located and the mercury-based liquid the corpses were preserved in created an ideal preservation environment.

Due to widespread death during the American Civil War, embalming methods advanced considerably in the 1860s. The passage of President Abraham Lincoln’s body, which was made possible by embalming, brought wider public notice and acceptance to the practice.

In 1867, German chemist August Wilhelm von Hofmann discovered formaldehyde. The substance replaced alcohol based mixtures and quickly became the foundation for modern methods of embalming.

Modern embalming procedures reflect an accumulation of many centuries of research, trial and error, and invention. While several variations of technique exist, nearly all embalmers begin the process by determining that the individual is, in fact, deceased.