Episode 1: All about Mummies

Vikings and Volcanoes

In the first episode of Vikings and Volcanoes, the podcast will be travelling back 5000 years to Ancient Egypt where we will be exploring all about the strange but fascinating practice of mummification!

Whether you are listening to at home, on the school run (or even on a holiday road trip!), this fun and family-friendly podcast brings you big ideas in bite-size learning. It is perfect for listeners of all ages curious about history, science, and more. In this episode, your podcast host and educator, Ross, takes us back to Ancient Egypt to explore the fascinating and sometimes gory process of mummification!

The Ancient Egyptians were of course well-known for their monumental pyramids, but the podcast will discuss how these massive structures were, in fact, built as tombs for their kings. Inside the pyramids, deep within stone sarcophaguses, the Pharaohs' bodies were preserved as mummies — but what exactly does that mean? The podcast humourously breaks down the real reason Ancient Egyptians practised mummification and explains how it was all related to a belief in life after death. Yet, in order for a Pharaoh to live again in the afterlife, their body had to be perfectly preserved.

In a lively and engaging tone, and with more than a few humours sound effects, the Vikings and Volcanoes podcast describes the 7-step process of mummification, from purifying the body with water from the Nile and wine, to removing the Pharaoh’s brain using a hook slid up the nose (yes, really!). However, all is explained as the Egyptians thought the brain was useless — all the thinking and feeling, they believed, happened in the heart, so the brain was discarded. The Pharaoh’s other organs were carefully removed, cleaned, and placed in special containers called canopic jars, each guarded by a different god. After drying out the body with salt and filling it with spices, plants, and even mud to restore its shape, the priest would wrap it in linen bandages, tuck lucky amulets between the layers, and add a final touch — a wig and a protective mask.

The podcast also shares some strange and surprising mummification facts along the way. For example, did you know the word “mummy” comes from the Arabic word “mumiya,” meaning tar, because ancient mummies looked like they were covered in it? Or that Egyptians didn’t just mummify Pharaohs, but also their pets — from cats and dogs to birds and even crocodiles? The episode also highlights the lengths pyramid builders went to protect the Pharaoh’s tombs from robbers, including secret tunnels, false burial chambers, and even used 150,000 tonnes of rubble to block the entrance to the tomb of the famous Pharaoh, Tutankhamun.

To wrap things up, listeners' newfound knowledge is put to the test with a four-question quiz, making it fun for young historians or families to see what they remember from the episode. From the 70-day mummification process to the lucky charms hidden in the bandages, there’s plenty to learn in this fast-paced, entertaining dive into ancient history.

With sound effects, playful jokes, and a deep dive into the grisly yet fascinating process of mummification, Vikings and Volcanoes offers an engaging and educational listening experience. Tune in to the first episode to uncover the secrets of ancient Egyptian mummies, and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss any future adventures in bite-size learning!