Mummies are preserved human or animal remains. The ancient Egyptians developed an elaborate mummification process to ceremonially preserve bodies for the afterlife. This involved removing internal organs, stuffing the body with linen and sawdust, and wrapping it in layers of linen treated with oils and resins. The finished mummy was then placed in a stone sarcophagus. The oldest mummies date back thousands of years in South America, and mummified remains were sometimes used for medicinal purposes by early cultures.