Preserving dead bodies for a living might seem weird or creepy or depressing. "But it's actually one of the most rewarding jobs in the world," says John "Jack" Mitchell IV, a sixth generation funeral ...

Embalming is not always necessary. It is performed mainly to keep the body ready for viewing, funerals, or long-distance transport. However, in most places, it is not legally required and depends on ...

This week, multiple outlets shared a story that played on people’s worst fears: in Russia, 28-year-old Ekaterina Fedyaeva was accidentally “embalmed alive” during an operation. But what does this mean ...

The process of embalming begins with a touch. Hidden behind a pair of gloves, the warmth of the embalmer’s hands meets the cold stiff flesh of the dead. This final massage loosens up the cadaver’s ...

For thousands of years, ancient Egyptians carefully mummified the bodies of their dead in readiness for the afterlife. But the origins of the ritual are still shrouded in mystery. A team of chemists ...

The ancient Egyptians were prolific record keepers. For thousands of years, they jotted down everything from legal documents to literature on papyrus rolls and tablets of wood and stone. But there’s ...

What is your deathbed drink of choice? For the the Grand Duchess Vittoria della Rovere, it was all about the spices. Analysis of dried bits of her intestine stored in a ceramic embalming jar shows ...

Bunbury embalmers share what it takes to prepare a dead human body for a viewing or funeral. While at times challenging, they say it's an important part of the grieving process. Over the last three ...