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Definition

It is the rapid dehydration/desiccation and shriveling of the dead body from evaporation of water, with preservation of natural appearances and features of the body.
It is a modification of putrefaction.
The entire body loses weight, becomes thin, stiff, brittle and odorless.
The process of normal decomposition of the dead body is prevented, as the growth of the micro organisms is retarded.
It occurs most readily in a current of dry warm air.

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Salient Features�

It begins in the exposed parts of the body, like face (lips, tip of nose), hands and feet and then extends to the entire body including the internal organs.
The skin may be translucent due to absorption of the liquefied subcutaneous fat. It is usually shrunken and contracted, dry, brittle, leathery and rusty-brown in color, stretched tightly across anatomical prominences, such as the cheek bones, chin, costal margins, hips and adheres closely to the bones, and often covered with fungal growths.
The internal organs become shrunken, hard, dark- brown and black and become a single mass and may not be identifiable.
Collagen, elastic tissues, cardiac and skeletal muscle, cartilage and bone are usually demonstrable histologically in the mummified material.
Occasionally, a body may show evidence of mummification in certain parts and adipocere changes in others. Thus, there may be adipocere in cheeks, abdomen and buttocks with mummification of the arms and legs.

TIME REQUIRED FOR MUMMIFICATION

It varies between 3-12 months or longer.

FACTORS FAVORING MUMMIFICATION

i. Hot environment: As in the deserts.

ii. Dry atmosphere: Mummification cannot occur in humid conditions.

iii. Free air movement: It helps in rapid evaporation of

body fluids.

iv. Contact of the body with absorbing media: A dead

body lying in shallow grave, in dry sandy soils

mummifies early due to absorption of body fluid

rapidly.

v. Poisoning: Chronic arsenic or antimony poisoning

favors the process of mummification.