For ancient Egyptians, the dead body was a precious thing meant to be preserved. Egyptian mummies, as well as mummies from cultures as diverse as the Moche of Peru or the first city dwellers of the Middle East, all represent an intense and expensive preparation of the dead. Egyptologist Dr. Kara Cooney examines tombs, graves, and burials all over the world, explaining that many cultures' methods of treating the dead embody a coping mechanism for dealing with death itself, one unavoidable element that links people around the world and throughout history.