Why did ancient Egyptians mummify their dead?

The answer

Ancient Egyptians mummified their dead because they believed the soul (ka) needed to recognize and return to its body in the afterlife. The 70-day process involved removing internal organs (stored in canopic jars), desiccating the body with natron salt, and wrapping it in hundreds of meters of linen strips. Mummification wasn't limited to humans: millions of animals were mummified too, including cats, ibises, baboons, and crocodiles, as offerings to the gods they represented.