The way the Etruscans perspective the afterlife and death was unique compared to the others culture at the time. For example in their tombs, where death should be focused, the Etruscans focused more on life instead on death. In the history of the Etruscans art the notion of death is rarely shown or mention. There was no depiction of actually death or scenes of a spiritual journey to the afterlife. What the Etruscans did was creating a home for the dead, focusing on connecting the life of the body with the life of the spirit.
When an Etruscan person died, they would be cremated and would be seen as entering a new life. They would put the remains in a special urn called Etruscan hut urn (c. 800 B.C.E.), this urn was another ‘home’ for the afterlife.
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The hut urn was made of unrefined clay known as impasto and would be used for the cremated remains of the deceased to live in the afterlife. What made the urn for unique was that urn was actually shape as a home or a hut. Later on the Etruscans would focused on large underground necropolis, large ancient cemetery with elaborate tomb monuments, instead of urn hut. However the ideal of home would still be there. The Etruscan tombs was an actually life size home for the deceased. An Etruscan tomb was filled with pottery, beds, banquet hall and other grave items that would be found in an actually Etruscan home. Instead of the hut urn the Etruscans placed the ashes in large sarcophagi made of terracotta, or baked clay. The lid of these featured a life-sized terracotta portrait of the deceased, reclining on a banquet couch. One example of this is the Sarcophagus of the Spouses, c. 520 B.C.E., Etruscan, painted terracotta, found in the Banditaccia necropolis, Cerveteri (Museo Nazionale di Villa Giulia in Rome) and it’s a burial piece. A work of art that was created in multiple pieces or fired in multiple pieces of terracotta it's not made of stone. The Etruscans were very good at working in terracotta. We see a couple together, which are quite a pleasant idea, this idea of them enjoying the afterlife together or enjoying eternity together. They're clearly a couple of great means or wealth. She is wearing what's called a "tutulus", which is a kind of cap, so that's a marker of status. She's also wearing these pointy shoes another marker of status. They're on a very fine piece of furniture or a fine couch, so they're clearly reclining and enjoying themselves, enjoying oneself, an idea of sociability being carried on into the afterlife. She originally may have been holding onto an egg, she's holding her two fingers, and there may have been an egg there, and an egg seems to be a symbolic in Etruscan culture associated with ideas of rebirth. There are eggs featured in burial works of art. Etruscan tombs were typically actually carved out of the bedrock out of tufa, a very soft volcanic stone and many of these survive and we find them actually enclosures in groups and we called them Acropolis and there are several examples of Etruscan necropolis, these are basically cities of the dead, and one of the most famous of these is the necropolis located on Tarquinia, and an example of one of the surviving tombs that is known as the tomb of the Triclinium. Tarquinia, Italy. Etruscan. C. 480-470 Bce. Tufa and fresco. It's a single chamber, it is a single room tomb and the word Triclinium actually refers back to a type of three couch dining room. Which was common in the greco-roman world and that's what we see here essentially is a room that styled after a Tarquinia, a banquet room and it's interesting we look at Etruscan tombs into the actually look like what we believe how Etruscan homes would have been shaped like they actually have in many cases examples of furniture and all sorts of other stuff carved into the walls are into the surfaces it it's as if really the Etruscans were attempting to replicate all of the comforts of home but do it in a permanent medium like stone we see grave goods and offerings as well as the remains of the deceased within these structures and not all but many of them are also painted in this case. In one of the painting called Barbiton player on the left wail(detail), Tomb of the Triclinium, c.470B.C.E, Etruscan chamber tomb, Tarquinia, Italy , tell us a little bit actually probably about the Etruscan funerals because more than likely overseeing represented here is an image of the actual funeral. In a few cases in the ancient Mediterranean funerals were really kind of celebrations some extent as well there would be acrobatic contests and games and music and dining and a variety of other things which took place so all of this image imagery that we see here in total probably is intended to represent probably the actual process of the funeral that would have taken place. In the right wall you can see a pair of dancers called Two dancers on the right wall(detail), Tomb of the triclinium, c 470 B.C.E., Etruscan chamber tomb Tarquinia, Italy, here the ceiling by the way is actually checkered in a pattern which may represent the type of fabric cloth which would be used to cover over the actual funeral pavilion when the event actually took place but these dancers here and in really the whole scene altogether give us a sense of this festival that took place with this funeral and to some extent this intend to mark the passage of the deceased into the afterlife but it also had ramifications really into the existing world the present day world you know doing stuff like this it showed the socioeconomic power and status the family that was hosting this and also served to continue to communicate controller this idea about socioeconomic status and position or the family that held this particular event. Another Early Etruscan work of art or actually basically a structure you can enter into or a room you can enter into is called the "Tomb of the Leopards", and this is a richly painted tomb, small percentage of tombs in the Etruscan world would have been painted to this extent and have the painting actually survive to this period, so if we go back the "Cerveteri Sarcophagus" also would have it painted, but unfortunately the pigment does not survive like so many ancient sculptures. But if we move on to the "Tomb of the Leopards" you can see this is richly painted, the paint did survive, we have leopards up in the area that's a bit like a pediment in a temple -- this triangular area. The leopards would be associated with ideas of warding off evil so apotropaic function. We see women and men reclining together on couches n a similar way to the "Sarcophagus of spouses" or the "Cerveteri Sarcophagus" that we just saw. So the "Cerveteri sarcophagus" was found in an area called Cerveteri, so that's where the name comes from. This tomb however is from Tarquinia. Another interesting painted tomb is what's called the "Tomb of Hunting and Fishing" also in Tarquinia.
Tarquinia is a site where we see particularly richly painted tombs. You have again a couple reclining together, so a man and a woman, she's wearing her tutulus. Both of them are being tended to by servants bringing them drink and food and then down below you have figures that are enjoying themselves. They're hunting one has a slingshot here; one's fishing over here; you see little dolphins jumping out and birds flying, so presumably you're enjoying yourself into the afterlife. You're engaging in an activity or recreation that was enjoyable for you, but in addition to that some people have thought that perhaps the water, which runs along the bottom, could be a hint towards Etruscan ideas of the afterlife. Was there a conception of a watery afterlife? And also the idea that the dolphins are included, you do have this little dolphin leaping; there was an idea that dolphin for the souls of sailors that had died shipwrecks, so those are also very sociable animals. And so some people, it seems, believed that there could have been some kind of afterlife connection there, between animals and humans. So that's one idea that has been put forth, so a pleasant recreation, but also possible ideas about Etruscan views on the
afterlife.
Ancient Egyptian culture was largely focused on the afterlife. One of their most important deities, Osiris, became the ruler of the Underworld through death. The pharaoh and elite class prepared for their impending deaths throughout their lives. Much of what survives from ancient Egypt today was found in tombs and temples of the dead. When one of the elite died, the process of laying him or her to rest was extensive. Harold Hays explains that “the ritualized process of embalming and mummification is usually stated as lasting seventy days” (Hays 5). "Funeral Procession, Tomb of Pairy" shows two of the processes that Hays details. The first depicted is the procession to the tomb. Pairy’s body would have already been through several processions, mummification, and embalming. This particular procession’s goal is to lead not just the body, but also the spirit into the afterlife. People of both high and low classes attended this procession, carrying with them the tomb goods (Hays 6-7). The second depicted
The Egyptians during this period took ample time and detail on the mummification process to ensure a successful transition from the netherworld to rebirth. The Coffin of Tentkhonsu, 1025-980 B.C., it’s a depiction of how the Egyptians valued and honored their elite members of society, as well as their gods. The Coffin of Tentkhonsu, itself dates back to the III intermediate period in Egyptian culture. The Egyptian believe was to join Osiris, whom was believed to have ascended to Netherworld and accomplished eternal life.
Afterlife to the Greeks back then was far more important and sacred than living life itself. Everything they did while they were alive was to please the many gods they worshipped. They built temples for their Gods, made statues to symbolize their Gods, and had a different God to explain things that we now say are an act of mother nature. It may seem rather foolish to us when we study their beliefs and compare them to modern day beliefs. I am sure the Greeks would have considered us to be heathens and put us to death for our ways and beliefs.
In Egypt, praising death and the afterlife is a big part of the culture. The Egyptians make tombs and pyramids so that they can live a successful life in the afterlife. The afterlife means that a person will be dressed in all clean clothes and white shoes and will be standing in front of the God of the underworld (Attar). The Egyptians call this day Judgement Day because the God of the underworld decides the persons fate if the person passes the test that the God gives the person (Attar). If the person does not pass the test then they will a die again as a second death. Most people pass the test because the Book of the Dead, that was written in 1550 BC, gives specific instructions of learning to survive in the afterlife. The afterlife to the Egyptians mean that the spirit of the person leaves the body but only temporarily (Attar). They say that if the spirit returns every night and if it doesn’t it ruins the chances of having a successful
First of all Epictetus argues that we shall not grieve over death because death is something we cannot control. If death is not something we control, then why do we implement services that honor the dead that are going to activate our uncontrollable emotions? We struggle with accommodating death because of the attention that death receives. Grieving is a natural emotion, the more the person is reminded of something the more emotional they will become. The more significant the loss the lengthier the grieving process lasts. Epictetus believes that our feelings are expressions of what seems right to us based upon our opinions and values. If we reevaluate our judgments or beliefs, then our feelings will be corrected as well. If we cannot control
Through the means of commemorating and remembering those of prestige and importance, tombs and sarcophagi are produced of these individuals. This funerary manner and distinctive burial practice was initiated Etruscan culture and it developed through the means of cremation and inhumation in earns. The concept of placing the remains of individuals in elaborate, thought out spaces was a valuable attribute of these people. The Etruscan objective of creating the best possible outcome in the afterlife dictated the way in which individuals ornamented and became portrayed in their tombs. Presen...
While many people today seem to be scared to die, and make great strides to avoid an early death, this is not a new human concern. In fact, Dr. Peter J. Brand did some extensive research on how people in Ancient Mesopotamia viewed death and the afterlife. He believes death was extremely scary to people of this region. In his article titled: Dying: Death and the Afterlife, Brand states, “Like all human cultures, the people of Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia were greatly troubled by death.” (Brand pg. 1) Apparently, it death was even more dreadful in the minds of the Mesopotamians. “Mesopotamian views of death were more pessimistic, resulting in less elaborate preparations for death.” (Brand pg.1) On the contrary, it seems that there would have been a lot of preparation involved, since the journey to the underworld alone was a perilous feat. This tells us that there was nothing glorified about death, and nothing exciting about traveling to the underworld. However, it reveals that there was a lot of confusion surrounding death, and confusion how to deal with it. Dr. Brand goes on to talk about how the underworld was a ...
Ancient Greek Mythology referred to the afterlife as the underworld. Most often Hades was considered the ruler or king of the underworld, regardless of names he was considered to be in control of the dead. Hades is a similar figure to Christianity’s Satan, through his correlation of controlling the underworld. A striking difference between Christianity and old Grecco-Roman ideas is that that everyone goes to the underworld but Tartarus is more representative of Christian hell. In Tartarus evil is sent to be judged and punished (Mercante 816). While Tartarus is a physical place, in Greek mythology, the original entities are also considered deities; the Earth is Gaea, Tartarus is Hell, Eros is Love, Uranus is Heaven. These physical ideas or places are given...
Odysseus is often times considered a hero for triumphing, for living through the many challenges that he has to face over the course of The Odyssey. He defeats the mighty cyclops, he braves years away from home fighting one battle after the other and makes it home alive. Many times he has the chance to give in to death, to end his suffering, however he doesn’t take his chance and he continues fighting. He survives. However Homer doesn’t put it in that light, he doesn’t centralize the idea of life in The Odyssey but rather the idea of death, and all that it brings, or fails to bring.
There are multiple views on death and the afterlife and each view is different depending on the religion or belief that someone practices. Some religions believe in a heaven but not a hell, some believe in both and others do not believe in either. The religions that are practiced today were created by our ancient ancestors who had the ability to think beyond themselves. Practicing a religion and having an idea of death and an afterlife back in ancient times laid a foundation on how religion is seen and practiced today. Mesopotamians, Egyptians and Hindu’s created the concept of death and life after death through what they believed and practiced in ancient times.
During the third intermediate period, the symbolic images of servants were painted inside the tombs to aid the deceased in the afterworld. This practice developed into the usage of mummy-like statuettes known as Ushabti, which is a small statue, found to be in 22nd Dynasty, 800BCE; it was believed to turn into a servant after attaining the afterlife, therefore it was buried with the body (Stevens).
Indeed, Mesopotamian civilization certainly had much stricter views of life and the afterlife. Their views of the fragility of their mortality seemed to be pessimistically realistic. They seemed to accept that their gods gave them this life and nothing else. In the excerpt from the Epic of Gilgamesh, a quote that summarizes their
If there is one constant in this world, it would surely be death. Dying is an unavoidable part of life. Indeed, everything that lives will at sometime die. The fear of death is held by everyone. Perhaps it is the correlation of death with pain or the unknown state of the human consciousness after death, maybe a combination of both, that creates this fear. The fear felt is undoubtedly universal, however, the ways in which it is dealt with are varied and diverse.
Despite the fact that there is still no recipe towards how either one of these cultures preserved their dead, Egypt is the closest that we have towards understanding their funerary practices, but before that they had a strong belief for the soul. Ancient Egyptians believed
...ety men were treated much differently then the rest of the people. They were cremated then their ashes were put in a clay pot then they built temples over their urns (Coe p.196). Women were not treated the same as men. They sometimes were just buried as is with a small stone to mark their death (Coe p.197).