Final answer:
The postmortem process of preserving a corpse through desiccation is mummification, which involved drying the body, removing organs, and embalming in ancient Egypt. Desiccation is crucial to inhibit microbial growth and is widely used in food preservation and scientific methods such as lyophilization.
Step-by-step explanation:
The postmortem process where a corpse is preserved through desiccation is known as mummification. This ancient Egyptian method was intended to prepare the body for the afterlife, involving a series of steps such as removing most internal organs, dehydrating the body with salts, treating with aromatic oils and resins, and wrapping with linen strips. Mummification ensured that the body was preserved in a state similar to its appearance at the time of death, with internal organs typically placed in canopic jars and the heart, considered the embodiment of the soul, left within the body.
Desiccation effectively inhibits microbial growth by depriving the cells, including harmful microbes, of the water necessary for metabolism and survival. It is a concept not only significant in the process of mummification but also widely used in food preservation and scientific applications like lyophilization, which combines freezing and desiccation for effective preservation.