The ancient Egyptian mummification process typically took 70 days. Embalmers used this period chiefly to dry the body with natron, a naturally occurring salt mixture that removed moisture and slowed decomposition.
After death, specialists generally removed most internal organs and treated the body with oils, resins, and other substances. The heart was often left in place because Egyptians associated it with identity, thought, and judgment in the afterlife. The dried body was then wrapped in linen, frequently with protective amulets placed among the bandages.
Seventy days describes the standard ideal often associated with elite mummification, not an unchanging rule for every person or period. Methods varied according to wealth and status, and cheaper treatments could be less elaborate. The number also appears in the story of the biblical patriarch Jacob, whose Egyptian embalming is said to have lasted 40 days, followed by a longer mourning period.