Egypt, Late Period - Mummy Hook

This hook, used in Egypt for making mummies in the Late Period, is currently maintained at the British Museum. John H. Taylor, in Death and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt, tells us how it was used:

Once access to the cranium had been gained the iron hook mentioned by Herodotus was inserted into the cranial cavity to break up the brain tissue (assuming that this had not already liquified through natural process of decay). The remains would then have been extracted via the nostril and disposed of. The ancient Egyptians apparently did not understand the function of the brain and hence adopted no special measures to preserve it. (Taylor, page 53.)