This chapter focuses on the preservation of the body in historical and cultural contexts. The first part of the chapter focuses on colonial and antebellum mortuary practices in the U.S., particularly within White Colonial contexts. It traces the shift from familial, home-based death rituals to the emergence of specialized mortuary professions, such as coffin makers and embalmers, reflecting broader changes in American society, including urbanization, religious diversity, and social stratification. The chapter further examines the profound impact of the Civil War (1861—1865) on U.S. mortuary practices, particularly the rise of embalming as a response to the mass deaths of soldiers. The war’s scale necessitated the preservation and transportation of bodies, leading to the widespread adoption of embalming and the professionalization of the funeral industry. The chapter traces the development of embalming techniques in the US and the rise of the ‘traditional’ American funeral, with a focus on the rise of medicalization and the death industry. The second part of the chapter focuses on mummificationMummification in two contexts. First, mummificationMummification traditionsTraditions in Bronze AgeBronze Age BritainBritain are detailed, particularly at Cladh HallanCladh Hallan, where intentional body preservation was linked to shifts in social and religious structuresStructures. It also examines Buddhist mummificationMummification practices, including the self-mummification of monks in JapanJapan, and their spiritual significance as “living relics”Relics that continued to exert power after death. Through these case studies, the chapter highlights how mummificationMummification and mortuary ritualsMortuary ritualsRituals have been used across cultures to navigate identityIdentity, powerPower, and communityCommunities formation.